In an open letter to Columbia Countians, its District Attorney Bobby Christine writes an urgent alert that opens with bold, capitalized letters: THE GEORGIA BOARD OF PARDONS & PAROLES HAS VOTED TO GRANT A TENTATIVE CLEMENCY RELEASE TO WILLIE L. JOHNSON.
Columbia Co. DA Bobby Christine
The Board is expected to vote on a final decision soon, so Christine writes, “A network of law-abiding citizens is necessary to protect our quality of life. I am hitting the ‘alert button’ to energize the network.” He hopes Georgians will contact the Pardon and Paroles panel to keep this vicious Augusta area predator and rapist in jail. The following is the entirety of the district attorney’s detailed and impassioned letter:
In 1986 Willie L. Johnson, dressed in an Army uniform he was not entitled to wear in order to trick young wives of soldiers while their husbands were on duty at Fort Gordon (Eisenhower), attacked on separate days three women. This predator bound, gagged, violated, brutalized, raped, sodomized, burglarized and robbed members of our community, one of whom was four months pregnant.
In nearly 30 years of practicing law I have never read facts more disturbing, sickening, and terrifying than the facts adduced at trial. The three brave ladies resolved they wouldn’t let another be harmed by Johnson. Despite all the reasons not to do so, they each took the stand and detailed the horrors to which Johnson subjected them.
A jury convicted Johnson of two counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, one count of aggravated sodomy, one count of attempted aggravated sodomy, two counts of armed robbery, and one count of burglary. A strong judge on behalf of a righteous community sentenced Johnson to serve consecutively five life sentences plus forty years. Consecutively, that means to run end to end, one after another.
The sentence was fair, mete and just. Now that sentence is at risk. I am enlisting your help to ensure that Willie Johnson’s sentence be served. Truth in sentencing is what I am asking you to help achieve.
With the support of brave members of law enforcement in our Sheriff’s Office, three police departments, state and federal agencies, your District Attorney’s Office is holding the line to keep this community safe and punish offenders. However, the decision whether to keep this predator rapist behind bars is not in your District Attorney’s hands, and that’s why I am calling on you.
The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles (the Board) has the authority to keep us safe by merely letting the sentence in this case be served. I believe the Board needs to hear from you in order to muster the courage necessary to keep Willie Johnson behind bars.
I am sending this letter like an emergency flare to rally you to the fight. Join me right now, and contact the Board. Reference “Johnson, Willie L. D.O.B. 07/04/1962, GDC ID# 426096, Inmate # 201177” in your communications with the Board.
You may reach the Board by telephone, email and hard copy letter at this number and these addresses: 404-656-4661 State Board of Pardons and Paroles 2 M.L. King, Jr. Drive, SE GaParoleBoard@pap.ga.gov Suite 430, Balcony Level, West Tower Atlanta, Georgia 30334.
Sexual predators are the least likely offenders to be rehabilitated, in my opinion. Georgians deserve better than to have Johnson returned to live amongst us. Three courageous ladies testified about how they suffered at the hands of Johnson. Columbia County citizens owe it to them to do our part. Let us energize our network of good and law-abiding citizens.
Keeping this community safe is a team effort. The Board will hear you … as will future predators looking for a community where they can victimize the innocent, think they can get away with it and walk out of jail one day.
