MURDER CHARGES: Precious Doe Identified; Missouri MOM, Step-Dad Charged

[Joseph Scales]

http://www.anaphe.org/pics/PreciousDoe.jpg
Erica Michelle Marie Green

After four years, Erica Michelle Marie Green finally has been identified.

In 2001 the little girl was found in pieces-her head in one place, her body in another-along a stretch of a road in Kansas City, MO. Authorities investigating the crime had no suspects, no motive and no information about the little girl who they named Precious Doe.

Over the next four years, amid a groundswell of candlelight prayer vigils, community activism, police tips, even a feature on "America's Most Wanted," her death remained a mystery, until recently.

A tip led police to Erica's mother, Michelle M. Johnson, 30, and her husband, Harrell L. Johnson, 25, both of Muskogee, OK.

http://64.237.105.30/multimedia/458/317/Johnson_Mic_lg1.jpg http://64.237.105.30/multimedia/458/317/Johnson_Har_lg.jpg
Michelle Johnson (the mother) & Harrell Johnson
Charged May 5, 2005, with murder and endangerment of a child's welfare in the death of her daughter Erica Michelle Marie Green.

Under interrogation the couple admitted their role in Erica's death and were charged with endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree murder of the woman's daughter. Prosecutors have referred to Harrell as the girl's stepfather.

According to a probable cause statement filed in Jackson County Circuit Court: One night in April 2001, high on PCP and under the influence of alcohol, Harrell became angry when Erica, a few weeks shy of her fourth birthday, ignored orders to go to bed.

Harrell says he kicked the child in the shoulder and she then hit her head, while the mother says he kicked the girl in the head.

This much the Johnsons agree on: the girl fell unconscious and they didn't seek treatment, fearful because of outstanding warrants for their arrests.

Police say the girl lingered for a day or two, and after she died the parents carried the body down the street, then through the woods, where Harrell used hedge clippers to separate the girl's head from her body.
Her lower body was found near an intersection on April 28, 2001. Days later, her head, wrapped in a trash, was found nearby. "We have closure," police Chief James Corwin said.

Reprinted from the May 23, 2005 issue of Jet Magazine

[Theresa Bee]

That is so sad how in the world can someone do anything like that to a child that is terrible children are inocent until proven gulity,that is just to sad and rediculous

[Joseph Anthony Russo]

At least everyone finally knows what happened. there isn't a lot worse than letting your imagination run with a scenario. Not to mention the killers were caught.

[Ms Marilyn James]

Little Miss Erica Michelle never had a chance to be a free little baby girl...until now. Bless her heart, I hope & pray that justice will be served.
A very sad and tragic end to a little precious life.

Rest in Peace Angel

Marilyn James

[Todd Heddleson]

I think of my 4 year old niece when I read stores like this one. and although I am going to be a p-i I would find myself in front of a judge. some may ask how a peson can do this to a child. that's easy to anwser they have no heart, soul, and there mind left there worthless body years ago. I have always said it's a good thing I'm not a judge. Because these two half wits would die the same way they ended this little girls life :mad:

[Theresa Bee]

How can a person kill a child that can barely defend themselves it is so sad when a young child is murdered why , why our peolpe so sick why dont they get help.

[Mary Saunders*-]

Everytime I hear about a child's death, it breaks my heart. I wonder how someone could harm an innocent child (much less their own child).

I thank God every day for my beautiful, healthy children and I pray constantly for their protection against such horrible things.

Mary

[Ed Dufresne -]

It is very sad to realize that someone could hurt a child, any child...never mind take their life. Think how hard it was/is for the investigators that worked/ or are working Jon Benets murder. It is a hard job seperating yourself from your work. Sometimes being professional is harder than others.

Ed Dufresne

[Arlene K Golden]

I have always said it's a good thing I'm not a judge. Because these two half wits would die the same way they ended this little girls life :mad:

And who, might I ask, would carry out this "sentence"? You? The fact is, that as a society, if we advocate that kind of retribution as punishment, we become the exact thing that we find so despicable. True; there is something very wrong with these two people who did this to that child. They are incomplete; they are emotionally and spiritually sick, they are not quite right. That is what prisons are for (punishment; separation from the public) and hopefully, programs and psychiatric treatment, so that the root causes of their problems and disease (mental) are found, and healed. For a Christian nation, we sure want to punish and destroy, rather than acting in the merciful way Jesus advocated.

[Donald Bowen]

I would take this opportunity to say something about sending people to prison. Speaking from the point I worked in the prison system for more than 11 years. Locking someone up doesn't necessarily fix the problem. In most cases, the term "warehousing" comes into effect. This is no way to correct the problem either.

As I feel for the family, and I deffinately side with this little girl, I wouldn't be a judge either. I believe in some of the biblical ways of doing things. An eye for an eye for instance.

If these two are competent to stand trial, then as a judge, I would give them the maximum I could. I don't believe that these two could function in society after this killing. I don't believe letting them live the rest of their lives inside an institution will correct the problem. I abhor killing innocent people. That is not a solution, however, as it is a method allowed by society and the law, there are some instances where it is needed.

In the end, I wouldn't be a judge because that decision shouldn't be left to one person. I also don't have all of the information in this case. Without all of it, no decision will be accepted by everyone no matter what it is. All I can do is try to stand for the rights of those who can't stand for themselves. This is one of the reasons I choose to do investigations.

[Arlene K Golden]

Your post was very well thought out. And you are absolutely right; way too often, we are simply “warehousing” people, as your many years of experience has witnessed. In fact, the United States falls behind in other countries when it comes to rehabilitation rather than what we are doing. Rather than deal with the deep social issues, we simply want to throw more money at prisons, and locking people up. The United States today incarcerates MORE percentage of our population than the Soviet Union did, at the height of their power.

I will however, disagree with you, as so many people like to quote, about their “biblical” ways. In fact, we do NOT follow old testament teaching. Jesus brought a new way to look at things. If you want to follow the old law, you had better spend some time in Deuteronomy and Leviticus. I doubt you would want to follow those prescriptions. The old “eye for an eye” was thrown out by Jesus, if you remember correctly. Remember, he said, “it has been said, an eye for an eye. Truly, I say to you, if someone harms you, turn the other cheeck.” That is what HE taught. So the old bull about this old testament 0000 is simply that.

I do not work within the prison system, but am preparing to, and my degree is in criminal justice. There are so many, who are simply from dysfunctional families, and neighborhoods, there is such little chance they have of succeeding in life. I would suggest a good book, called “Broken Windows” which talks about the deterioration of neighborhoods, and also suggest, “Created Unequal” about how often, social conditions lead to this type of disarray.

I, in no way outside of serial murderers advocate killing people. Otherwise, perhaps we should put to death those thieves at the top who stole and ruined so many thousands of people’s lives when they stole millions from the public, the stockholders, and their employees. Their crimes were in the billions; people’s lives were ruined.

You said, "All I can do is try to stand for the rights of those who can't stand for themselves."

Absolutely! Whoever they might be. And remember, in OUR system, we are NOT GUILTY until proven, and I say PROVEN, guilty. That is the bedrock of our criminal justice system, and if we should ever change it, we will no longer be America.


Arlene

[Theresa Bee]

This is so so sad everytime I see things like this I get emotionaly sick because this child just learned her ABC'S and was just learning to read and write how could the mother be so strung out that she could not help her child was this man molesting the little girl why did he not like her
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Travis Wethington]

It is just my opinon, but sometimes I believe some guys, they think "I'm the only person that you take care of , the only one", but when a child comes into this world. They believe that they are interding in their lifestyle. They are the only one. Their are alot of very sick people out there and they really need help! I too had lost someone very close to me, it wasn't a child, but my aunt, still, the person that murdered her was someone that was very sick and the staff at the place his was at just let him sign himself out.

[Joseph Scales]

Harrell Johnson the stepfather of "Precious Doe" was indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday for first-degree murder.

The charge was upgraded from a second-degree murder count originally filed against Johnson,25, and his wife Michelle M. Johnson, 30, both of Muskogee, Okla.

Jackson County prosecutor Mike Sanders said his office will decide soon whether to seek the death penalty against Harrell Johnson. The indictment also includes felony counts against Harrell Johnson for endangering the welfare of a child, abuse of a child resulting in death and child abuse.

The couple waived their preliminary hearings and will be tried separately in Jackson County Circuit Court.

Last month, Michelle M. Johnson, Erica's mother, was charged in Oklahoma with obtaining food stamps and welfare assistance for the girl years after the child was killed.

Records show she received more than $2,000 in state aid on behalf of her daughter on several occasions between September 2001 and her arrest in May.

A probable cause statement said Harrell Johnson admitted that he was under the influence of alcohol and the hallucinogenic drug PCP , when he became angry with Erica after she refused to go to bed. He admitted grabbing her, kicking her, and throwing her to the ground, leaving her unconscious. After she died, with the help of his wife, he said he used hedge clippers to sever her head and dispose of her body.

In closing I would like say that God will be Harrell's and Michelle's ultimate and final judge for what they did to this baby angel.

Joe

[Kristi Lucas]

I've followed this story from the start, I'm glad they have
finally put a name to that sweat little girls face.
Those people are very sick in the head.
Just how could any parent do something so awful
to there child. I will never understand that. I hope
that sweat little girl can now rest in peace.

[Theresa Bee]

:mad:
I KNOW THIS IS SOME SICK STUFF MY HEART HURTS WHEN A YOUNG INOCENT BY STANDER IS CAUGHT IN A MIXTURE OF CONFUSED PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DONT KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO THERE SELF.

[Misty Raucci]

Correct me if I am wrong: Not that these two winners have much sense at all, but, when that little girl was "lingering" (read: NOT DEAD) couldn't they pin a note on her shirt saying "I am seriously hurt and I need a doctor" and then leave her on somoeone's doorstep, if they were concerned about being arrested on outstanding warrants :eek: ? The truth is: Those two bottom-feeders wanted Erica to die. Must have been too difficult for the poor dears to run from the law with a baby in tow, really cramped their style, I guess. :mad:

[Cindy Mekeel -]

Nothing can be more horrendous than what happened to this helpless child. They not only deserve the death penalty, they should be electricuted. Leathal injection would be
to easy. For a Mother to give brith to a child than let someone else take that life away
deserves the same as the step-father that did the crime. Now maybe little Erica can have justice done. God Bless her tiny soul.