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Timothy Jones Jr.- Case Archive
personpersonCharles JohnsonCharles JohnsonFormer deputy and investigator with the Smith County Sheriff's Department in Mississippi.← All People
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Charles Johnson

Courtroom still of Charles Johnson.

Former deputy and investigator with the Smith County Sheriff's Department in Mississippi.

Appeared2019 Murder Trial
129 lines·5 proceedings·2 mentions

About

Charles Johnson, a Smith County Sheriff's Department investigator, testified on Day 12 about stopping a black Cadillac Escalade at a Highway 18 East traffic-safety checkpoint on September 6, 2014. He said he smelled marijuana and another odor, observed signs he associated with impairment, and arrested Timothy Jones, Jr. after finding bags he identified as synthetic cannabis and a modified energy-drink can.

Johnson said a license and tag check identified Jones and returned an NCIC alert stating that five children should have been in the vehicle, although he saw none. He described officers stopping their search, contacting South Carolina, securing the vehicle and seized items, and the admission of State's Exhibit 58.

Defense counsel questioned Johnson about the disorganized vehicle interior, the chemicals he said he saw in a bucket, and whether the modified Starbucks can was warm. Johnson could not recall whether several specific chemicals were present and ultimately could not recall whether he had previously said the can was warm; on redirect, he reaffirmed that it was warm when he retrieved it and qualified his recollection of the bucket's contents.

Key Points

Trial Record (5)

Trial 12019 Murder TrialApr 29, 2019 – Jun 13, 2019Called by prosecution

Charles Johnson testified about a Day 12 checkpoint stop, arrest, vehicle search, and an alert concerning five children. Cross-examination tested his memory of the vehicle contents and the modified can, and redirect returned to those details.

Day 12

DirectCharles Johnson — DirectCharles JohnsonSuzanne Mayes2highlights111lines spoken

Summary

Charles Johnson described stopping Timothy Jones, Jr.'s Escalade at a Mississippi checkpoint, finding alleged drug-related items, and receiving an alert that five children expected in the vehicle were absent.

Highlights (2)

testimony highlightJohnson described stopping a black Cadillac Escalade at the checkpoint, detecting marijuana and another odor, and observing signs he associated with impairment.Open in transcript →Watch this moment ▶
Quote“At that time I placed him under arrest for DUI other, which is under controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, which I had went back to the vehicle and found -- the paraphernalia come from a can that I found inside the vehicle with another bag of the Scooby Snax. So he was charged with possession of paraphernalia, and also the DUI other.”— Charles JohnsonJohnson described the arrest and the items he said supported the charges.Open in transcript →Watch this moment ▶
CrossCharles Johnson — CrossCharles JohnsonRobert Madsen2highlights14lines spoken

Summary

Johnson could not recall several specific chemicals in the vehicle or whether he had previously testified that the modified Starbucks can was warm.

Highlights (2)

impeachmentJohnson said he could not recall whether specific items suggested by defense counsel, including pseudoephedrine-related materials and Coleman fuel, were in the vehicle; he described seeing a bucket containing different chemicals before contacting Undersheriff Marty Patterson.Open in transcript →Watch this moment ▶
Quote“Whenever, I can't, I can't recall. I'm not going to say. I can't recall if I did or not.”— Charles JohnsonJohnson qualified his earlier assertion that he had previously testified about the can's warmth.Open in transcript →Watch this moment ▶