dan johnson

Kentucky State Rep. Dan Johnson Commits Suicide In Bullitt County

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Rep. Dan Johnson

State Rep. Dan Johnson committed suicide Wednesday evening, two days after the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting published accusations that he sexually assaulted a minor.

Johnson was a preacher from Mt. Washington in Bullitt County. He shot himself on a bridge over the Salt River, according to WDRB.

Johnson posted a suicide note on Facebook Wednesday evening calling the accusations false and telling conservatives to “take a stand.”

“AMERICA will not survive this type of judge and jury fake news,” Johnson wrote. “Only Three things I ask of you to do,if you love me is (1)blame no person,Satan is the accuser, so blame the Devil himself. (2) Forgive and Love everyone especially yourself .(3)most importantly LOVE GOD.”

The KyCIR investigation included an accusation from a 21-year-old woman that Johnson sexually assaulted her in the basement of his Fern Creek church in 2013. She was 17 at the time.

The Louisville Metro Police Department opened an inquiry, but detectives later closed the case, citing a lack of interest or assistance from the teen. She told KyCIR she never wanted the case abandoned and that detectives reopened the case months ago, following KyCIR’s inquiries.

KyCIR and WFPL are both part of Louisville Public Media.

Johnson denied the accusations, which he said were spawned by his political opponent, former Democratic Rep. Linda Belcher.

The Republican Party of Kentucky, as well as Republican and Democratic leaders in the statehouse quickly called for Johnson to resign Monday after the KyCIR story.

Louisville Metro Police confirmed on Tuesday they had reopened an investigation into Johnson over the 2013 assault allegations.

In a statement, Louisville Public Media President Michael Skoler expressed condolences for Johnson’s friends and family.

“All of us at Louisville Public Media are deeply sad to hear that State Representative Dan Johnson has died, apparently of suicide. We grieve for his family, friends, church community and constituents. Our Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting released a report on Johnson this week. Our aim, as always, is to provide the public with fact-based, unbiased reporting and hold public officials accountable for their actions. As part of our process, we reached out to Representative Johnson numerous times over the course of a seven-month investigation. He declined requests to talk about our findings.”

Statements of condolence poured out from lawmakers Wednesday evening.

“It is with great sadness that we have received confirmed reports of the passing of Rep. Dan Johnson this evening. Please keep his family in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” House Republican leaders said in a statement.

Rep. Wesley Morgan, a Republican from Richmond, blamed the media and political parties for Johnson’s death.

Former Kentucky House Speaker Jeff Hoover, who resigned his seat recently after settling a sexual harassment lawsuit, also tweeted his condolences.

This story was written by Ryland Barton of Kentucky Public Radio.

  • Reasonandbelieving

    You are gloating that you pushed this man with PTSD to suicide with your false accusations?

    • Kyle Hutton

      I’ve seen no “gloating.” It’s deeply unfortunate that Rep. Johnson took his life and the role that this investigation might’ve played in his decision, but KyCIR were and are only looking to expose the truth of very serious allegations of fraud and breaches of trust, as any good journalists try to do. They can’t be held at fault for simply seeking the truth.

      • JayRaskin

        Certainly seeking the truth is so important that the death of a few unimportant individuals can be excused.

        • Kyle Hutton

          No one has said anything like that. I doubt anyone at KyCIR feels that Rep. Johnson’s death can be “excused” because of the findings of their investigations, and anyone who says it can is simply wrong. Rep. Johnson clearly needed help and it’s a tragedy that he couldn’t find it before his death. That doesn’t mean that what they uncovered should have gone unreported, however – his actions affected more lives than just his own.

          • BoneyDog

            Now that Johnson is dead who are you going after next? Looks like you can close the file on Johnson.

          • jasonrbennett

            case closed! got any leads?

          • Darth Soros™

            Somebody else who has already been investigated by authorities and is ripe for destruction in the court of public opinion, obviously.

          • JayRaskin

            Who started the investigation? Who profited from it?

        • jasonrbennett

          oh stop. where’s your compassion for his victim?

          • Where is your right to be innocent until it is proven to the contrary?

          • Derpy

            Great point. Just out of curiosity, how do you feel about the rights of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, etc. (etc. etc. etc.) to be innocent until proven to the contrary? Were you speaking out in their defense as well?

          • Darth Soros™

            All of those cases had trials in our judicial system. Where’s the analogy?

          • Derpy

            Um.. no. What rock do you live under? They were all killed by police prior to their ever having a day in court.

          • Derpy

            I think you are missing the point. The OFFICERS in those cases had trials but the people who were killed without any type of trial were not so lucky. You want to blame the media for a guy who put a gun to his own head because he couldn’t put on his big boy pants and deal with the consequences of his own actions but you don’t want to blame police for killing innocent people and kids without a trial? That is an impressive double standard if ever there were one.

          • Psss. With assumptions we could judge anyone, even witchcraft.

          • 66gardeners

            real Americans do not talk like you

          • Darth Soros™

            No, actually you are in a very small group of people with your thinking. It’s hard to believe you don’t know that. Honestly, from your comments you sound drunk or high.

          • 66gardeners

            Right. Alabama just voted for a democrat because of my type of thinking. Get real fool

          • I am not a gringo, but if I am an American, I am not a communist garbage disguised as a populist or a progressive who betray his own country because they are not even nationalists, they are socialist internationalists …

          • JayRaskin

            Please don’t confuse communism with Gender-feminism. Gender-feminism is much closer to fascism. It may use a few socialist slogans because they are popular, but their goal of enslaving and destroying all men and heterosexual women is absolutely antithetical to the historical goals of socialists or communists.

          • JayRaskin

            There was no victim. He was the victim of a witch-hunt and a witch-hunt mentality by journalists making their money from generating the excitement of witch-hunting.

          • Former Compass Attendee

            @JayRaskin:disqus, you’re completely full of shit.

          • JayRaskin

            Thank you, your comment shows your intelligence.

          • madcapfeline

            He’s not wrong though. You throw the word “witch-hunt” around, as though every sexual assault allegation of false, and there aren’t any legitimate cases of sexual assault that deserve investigating.

            This man took his own life before any meaningful investigation could take place, and that’s no one’s fault but his own.

          • JayRaskin

            In the 1980s, over 900 daycare workers were arrested and found guilty of sexual assault on children in the United States. It was all a witch-hunt promoted by the mass media and there was no evidence that even a single one of the children was ever assaulted or abused in any way. In the accusations against high profile men that started with Bill Cosby three years ago, there has been no real evidence presented, just hundreds of accusations and more accusations. All the evidence (excluding the accusations) lines up to show the so-called victims are lying and the accused are innocent. That is what a witch-hunt is – people who claim to be attacked falsely naming their attackers. There may actually have been some Jews who committed crimes killed in the Nazi witch-hunts of millions of Jews in the 1930s, but nevertheless, they were all victims of the Nazi witch-hunts and all innocent of the things their witch-hunters accused them of.

          • 66gardeners

            you are one piece of work and a bold faced liar

          • Derpy

            Importantly, there is a difference between daycare-aged children and teenagers/adults to describe what has happened to them. There is no comparison.

          • Darth Soros™

            A meaningful investigation had taken place, right? Am I missing something that you know about and I don’t?

          • 66gardeners

            the police never interviewed Johnson

          • 66gardeners

            Let’s not forget the evidence in the form of his apology and the therapist’s notes.

          • Former Compass Attendee

            So we agree, you’re full of shit? Wow, that was easy. Frankly, it’s rather obvious.

          • 66gardeners

            I 2nd what former compass attendee said

          • Reasonandbelieving

            What victim? You are having compassion for a victim that you have no idea actually exists. People like you are the problem in this world.

        • Meg

          What about the harm done to the young woman? What about her truth?

          • JayRaskin

            What evidence is there that there was any harm to the woman? What evidence is there that she was telling the truth?

          • Fred Scuttle

            Uhhh… maybe the fact that he KILLED HIMSELF .. rather than defend himself and possibly sue the woman for her false accusations resulting in defamation of character. Many men in similar circumstances lately – some have apologized, some have denied the accusations, some have lost jobs or elections, and some are still President. None of them blew their brains out… except one..

          • 66gardeners

            Don’t forget the detailed therapist’s notes

          • Reasonandbelieving

            The case was CLOSED because it wasn’t true.
            This non profit “journalist” org kept calling the police station to force them to reopen it for no reason.

          • Derpy

            The case was closed because it wasn’t appropriately handled. This is well documented.

        • Derpy

          Are you implying that we should silence the alleged victim so that he can live his life in peace? That justice is unimportant? That victims don’t matter?

      • Now the “progressive” of such Ryland Barton, must be happy about the suicide of the REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR Dan Johnson. The problem is that, if you are falsely accused of being a harasser or a rapist before the public and your career is damaged, be it political or professional, although you can prove your innocence it will be very difficult for you to regain the confidence of the majority or from the public. In short, in this way the injury kills you economically and socially, or let’s talk about, how you can even destroy your entire family. I hope you have understood. The “PROGRESSIVE SOCIALIST” Ryland Barton are a Murder.

        • Fred Scuttle

          He are a Murder? Like some people am an Illiterate?

          • 66gardeners

            Maybe Walter is a Russian troll, pussygrabbing defender atlarge. In any case, definitely not American

          • Pero animalito, jamás seria un troll ruso, más aun si odio a los putos comunistas.

          • Lo que veo es que en los EEUU hay muchos progresistas y comunistas infiltrados en la sociedad gringa

          • What I see is that in the US there are many progressive and communist infiltrators in the gringo society

    • Ken Bonerigo

      Johnson appears to have painted himself into a corner and decided to take his life rather than face justice. Any blame lies at Johnson’s own feet. Exposing or reporting crimes does not make someone responsible in any way for someones suicide.

      • JayRaskin

        When people kill themselves they generally confess because they have no reason to lie anymore. Johnson did not confess because he had done nothing wrong. As a good Christian, he did not even blame his accuser, but blamed the devil.

        • Meg

          What as in “the devil made me do it” funnnny

          • JayRaskin

            There is no devil, but religious people use that symbol to explain bad actions that they can’t understand or explain. He does not understand the misandrist and misanthropic anti-humanist culture that caused the woman to lie about him.

          • Fred Scuttle

            You sound like his lawyer. Well, time to find another “innocent” client to defend..

          • 66gardeners

            Here’s to betting the flood gates were about to open on Dan Johnson in the form of more victims of his sexual molestation of minors.

        • Former Compass Attendee

          Again Jay, you’re full of shit. People don’t off themselves because they’re innocent in the face of evidence that proves them to be guilty.

          • JayRaskin

            Religious people believe that they are going to face God and be judged by him after they die. Such people do not lie before their death. They confess their sins. It would serve no purpose for him to lie before killing himself. He would gain nothing from lying.
            His anonymous accuser has numerous reasons to lie. There are now 1400 rape clinics and thousands of groups and lawyers spending billions of dollars, and the entire mass media promoting false rape accusations in the United States. They believe it is a way to stop violence against women, but it only increases violence against men and women 100 fold.
            Again, your criticism shows what you know and what you don’t know.

          • Fred Scuttle

            “False rape accusations” .. right.. because you were a witness each time, have it all on video and know “the Real Truth About Everything in the Universe.” 😖

          • JayRaskin

            Children don’t understand deductive reasoning. They imagine that you have to be there watching them to know their behavior. So a child may claim that their dog chewed up their homework and get mad for the teacher not believing them. What the child does not know is that seven other children in the classroom made the same excuse. Rather than seven different dogs chewing up seven kids homework, it is far more likely that the kids collaborated on their stories.

          • Former Compass Attendee

            1. What makes you an authority on ‘religious people’? 2. You’re saying ‘religious people’ don’t lie? 3. Why would you generalize all ‘religious people’?

            You’re assuming Johnson was truly ‘religious’. If you’ve ever been to Sunday School, you might remember who Judas Iscariot was. He was as close as one could get; he was an OD = Original Disciple. Everyone thought he was religious, too, until that little thing about betraying Jesus for some silver. Oh wait – but he was religious, right?

            Please tell me more about what I don’t know. You’re using false logic to draw conclusions.

          • JayRaskin

            1. What makes me an authority on religious people? I have studied and talked extensively with religious people for over 40 years. I wrote a book on the early history of Christianity. 2) You are making a straw man argument. My argument was not the absurd claim that religious people never lie, but the claim that Christians don’t lie before committing suicide. I believe you are using false logic in presenting this straw man argument.
            It is true that I don’t know that Johnson was truly “religious.” Based on his suicide note, I have no reason to disbelieve that he was truly ‘religious.’ It is the kind of suicide note that a religious person would write. It is not bitter or vengeful, but expresses a sincere desire to be with God.
            The existentialist philosopher Soren Kierkegaarde noted that ancient Christians were eager and happy to die for their faith. He complained that modern Christians were not willing to sacrifice more than a few dollars for their faith. Johnson did the ultimate sacrifice proving himself a man of faith like Abraham.
            The cowardly anonymous woman who accused him stands in stark contrast to him. Anonymous accusations have always been cowardly whether done by a man or woman.The mass media’s support for these cowardly anonymous accusations degrades the mass media and makes it unworthy of respect or belief as are the people who make these anonymous accusations.

          • Derpy

            Her accusation was the most far from anonymous one I have ever seen. Anonymous as in, turning over Facebook screenshots? Therapy notes?

          • Derpy

            I thought that religious people believed that suicide was a sin. Is that not correct? Do religious people not look to Jesus, who was falsely accused of crime and put to death? I would think that the Bible itself would answer the “WWJD” question of how to handle being wrongfully accused as a follower of Christ, but I could be wrong.

          • JayRaskin

            The Bible does not deal with the question of suicide. There was the ambiguity in the ancient world about suicide, as now. Plato considered it as a crime against the divine nature done in a fit of passion. However he also considered that sometimes it could be necessary. The stoic philosophers saw it as a reasonable options when things got too bad for an individual. A certain logic of Christianity promotes suicide. If the point is to get closer to God, why not commit suicide as it brings you closer to God. Christian writers like Saint Augustine, following Plato, declared it a sin against God, so as to discourage it among Christians. Humanists in the Renaissance saw it as a fearful option. As Shakespeare wrote in his to be or not to be speech in Hamlet:

            To be, or not to be–that is the question:
            Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
            The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
            Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
            And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep–
            No more–and by a sleep to say we end
            The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
            That flesh is heir to. ‘Tis a consummation
            Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep–
            To sleep–perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub,
            For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
            When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
            Must give us pause.

            Johnson obviously thought it was not nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. He swallowed his fear and put his faith in God.

          • Derpy

            Well I’m curious then why so many religious people would oppose abortion. Couldn’t one argue that that brings fetuses who could live and grow into sin closer to God when they are at a stage where they are innocent? Couldn’t abortion be viewed as a way to save more souls that to allow them to stray from God? I don’t personally have an issue with suicide as I see it as a way to obtain relief from psychological suffering, but I do have to admit it struck me as strange to see it from a preacher. My mom was also the victim of suicide and I don’t begrudge her decision although it pains me that that was the course she felt was best. But I was shocked by the outpouring from her religious friends that she had sinned, and people refusing to come to the funeral and all that.

          • Darth Soros™

            They do if they suffer from mental illness. It’s possible the stress brought out illness that wouldn’t typically be there.

          • 66gardeners

            so, what about the trauma he caused others? Do they not get a voice in this? His victims should feel proud for speaking out about his actions. I, for one, am thankful he can no longer cause them direct harm.

          • Darth Soros™

            Of course they do. The girl made the accusation already and it was investigated. She had a voice, and since she’s still alive she continues to have one. I don’t understand your point, if there is one.

          • 66gardeners

            why do you seem to be saying she should not have come forward with her accusations?

          • Darth Soros™

            I said nothing of the sort. You don’t form logical thoughts or statements. I’m done replying to you.

          • 66gardeners

            good bye felecia

          • Former Compass Attendee

            While this is plausible, it’s not likely. Johnson has a history of bad behavior that demonstrates a pattern of him being a habitual liar. This isn’t a case of sudden stress; this happened because he knew the jig was up and there was nowhere to run. When you see the

            It’s the same as looking as Jay Raskin’s history on Disqus: he spends most of his days trolling people in comment sections.

          • JayRaskin

            Actually, I spend about 15 minutes a day engaging in popularist discussions on the internet. I consider it participating in a weird form of democracy. I work very hard and have numerous other projects. I spend more time on cinematic history and discussions on the mythology and history of Christianity than I do on Gender-feminist terrorism.

          • Derpy

            There are other ways to cope with stress than suicide. Perhaps we should support making mental health care accessible to people who are having psychiatric emergencies.

  • Guess

    Only one person couldn’t seem to deal with the results of his own false accusations, unfortunately. Keep doing good work, KyCIR.

    • 66gardeners

      Now this here is a 2nd amendment remedy that makes sense. Finally a good news story about guns

    • Reasonandbelieving

      You and KYCIR are evil. They got a man with PTSD to kill himself from the shear a unwarranted and sustained political attack.
      You really are sick individuals.

      • Derpy

        You know what could have prevented this? Keeping guns out of the hands of people with severe mental illness and suicidality.

        • Guess

          “It’s too soon to talk about (pick your latest shooting)!” I believe that’s how the playbook works, unfortunately.

      • Guess

        Those genuinely concerned about the Stress that follows Trauma would be concerned with the individuals victimized by this subject. There is still time, thankfully, for them to find therapy and some measure of healing, now that one man took justice off the menu.

        People around the true sick individual in this whole sordid tale had every opportunity to heal him and not accept his lies covering further lies as “gospel”, while he was alive. They chose to pump up his ego and wallet instead, until he broke under the weight of his own truth. May he rest.

        Continue to do good work, KyCIR.

  • JayRaskin

    In the communist witch-hunts of the 1950s, accused people also committed suicide. Stop the witch-hunts by women supremacists now. Never believe women, never believe men, believe the objective evidence. Millions of people make false accusations every day. They have millions of reasons for doing so. Money, revenge, and politics are just a few of them. If you believe them, you are only destroying trust between people which is the basis of a civilized society.

    “Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire

    First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
    Because I was not a Socialist.

    Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
    Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

    Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
    Because I was not a Jew.

    Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
    Martin Niemoller.

    an action which wants to serve man ought to be careful not to forget
    him on the way; if it chooses to fulfill itself blindly, it will lose
    its meaning or will take on an unforeseen meaning; for the goal is not
    fixed once and for all…from “The Ethics of Ambiguity” by Simone de Beauvoir

    • Ken Bonerigo

      That’s all fine and dandy but the guy killed himself. He came for himself, nothing to speak out about.

    • jasonrbennett

      choose your battles. This guy isn’t one to defend.

      • JayRaskin

        First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
        Because I was not a Socialist.

        Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
        Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

        Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
        Because I was not a Jew.

        Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
        Martin Niemoller.

        I don’t like evangelicals in general, but I respect their rights to hold their beliefs and I don’t believe they go around raping women. The Ku Klux Klan claimed that Nunneries were houses of prostitution and all nuns were kidnapped into prostitution. I think this is the same political propaganda.

      • Darth Soros™

        It’s not about this man. It’s about society and our future as civilized people. This court of public opinion destruction campaign being orchestrated by the media is very, very dangerous. We’re headed toward “Running Man” where someone is accused and has to fight to their death in front of millions of salivating vultures fixated on their televisions. It’s disgusting to watch and ponder on an abstract level.

        • 66gardeners

          your time in the barrel coming soon?

          • Darth Soros™

            You’re sick.

          • 66gardeners

            you defend pedos

          • Darth Soros™

            I do not. I defend rights and logic, yet you’re still sick.

  • BoneyDog

    I guess we do not need courts and juries any longer. Just send a tip to KyCIR and the job will get done.

    • Ken Bonerigo

      Not if someone kills themselves before they can face their accusers.

      • I suppose that the alleged victim demonstrated the guilt of his alleged victimizer before a court. If not, it’s just a slander with political origins.

    • bptr

      I have a better solution:
      Get rid of Republicans.
      All they do is lie, cheat, steal, and philander.

    • 66gardeners

      not if child molesters off themselves first

    • Derpy

      Curious on whether you blame your own churches when LGBTQI+ teens kill themselves because they can’t take being bullied every day at the hands of people who will not recognize them as equals? People have also been making the same allegations against the police for some time now every time they use lethal force unnecessarily and take someone’s life before they are arrested, if they even are going to be arrested. In the past few years we have watched officers shoot a lot of unarmed, non-dangerous people including people who were asking them for help. I assume that since you are speaking up about this situation, where a man being investigated chose to kill himself, that you are also concerned about these lives where the victims did not even have a choice in their own deaths. I would suppose that you also are opposed to being “tough on crime” because such a stance necessarily ruins the lives of people who are falsely accused and caught up in the criminal justice system for the sake of achieving better crime metrics. Of course, the victims in the latter cases are disproportionately from minority populations so perhaps they are not on your radar. I am sorry he could not find the value of continuing on in his life and it is unfortunate that he found himself in a state of mind where suicide seemed like the right decision. But if indeed he had debilitating mental illness and suicidal urges then perhaps he should not have had access to firearms in the first place and perhaps he should have had a way to get help for his mental state without feeling that his only option was to resort to self-harm.

  • Willam Nat

    What kind of “news” organization drives mentally ill people to commit suicide?

    • Ken Bonerigo

      What kind of man molests children under the guise of a Pastor? What kind of party supports pedophiles? What kind of person thinks exposing these people is a bad thing?

      • Chris Wallace

        Lol! You REALLY need to study up on Democrats.

        • Fred Scuttle

          You mean, Roy Moore and Dennis Hastert are Democrats? Who knew?

      • Darth Soros™

        What William said is more factual than what you said. It’s true that a mentally ill man was just driven to suicide, whereas nothing you said is proven at all. Again, I’m not defending him. I’m defending sanity and logic.

  • Ken Bonerigo

    More “family values” Republican hypocrites should follow Johnson’s example.

    • tigermom65

      Because only Republicans do anything wrong. Right?

      • Ken Bonerigo

        Republicans do seem to claim God as their own to fool the rubes.

        • Progressive, not to say leftist. I suppose that the alleged victim demonstrated the guilt of his alleged victimizer before a court. If not, it’s just a slander with political origins.

        • tigermom65

          There are liberals and democrats who call themselves Christian. many different denominations call themselves Christian between the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant faith. Also non-denomnination. I question anybody who is pro abortion on demand in all cases. The Black church votes Democrat. Catholics used to be Democrat voters, not sure about now. It’s the Evangelicals that are on the right. Based mostly on pro-life issue.

          • 66gardeners

            evangelicals like pussygrabber supporters? One and the same

    • The “progressive” of such Ryland Barton, must be happy about the suicide of the REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR Dan Johnson. The problem is that, if you are falsely accused of being a harasser or a rapist before the public and your career is damaged, be it political or professional, although you can prove your innocence it will be very difficult for you to regain the confidence of the majority or from the public. In short, in this way the injury kills you economically and socially, or let’s talk about, how you can even destroy your entire family. I hope you have understood. The “PROGRESSIVE SOCIALIST” Ryland Barton are a Murder.

      • RealNinjaWasup

        You know for a fact he was falsely accused? When your daughter is fondled, you go to police and they don’t interview her abuser, you’ll be ok with that right? Cool!

        • The same police that investigates the case, closed it for lack of evidence. If you have them, go to put your report.

          • 66gardeners

            Walter, English is not your first language = stooge.

  • bptr

    Another Republican lowlife lunatic liar.

    • Another communist who condemns without being proven guilty before a court …

      • RealNinjaWasup

        he didn’t give us a chance to prove it..

        • Yes, of course, I very much doubt that the accusing party does not end up accused of defamation.

      • bptr

        It is completely obvious, dumbass.
        Wtf do you think he killed himself?
        Blind clueless voters can never see the obvious. You keep voting for lying assholes who con you.

  • Now the “progressive” of such Ryland Barton, must be happy about the suicide of the REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR Dan Johnson. The problem is that, if you are falsely accused of being a harasser or a rapist before the public and your career is damaged, be it political or professional, although you can prove your innocence it will be very difficult for you to regain the confidence of the majority or from the public. In short, in this way the injury kills you economically and socially, or let’s talk about, how you can even destroy your entire family. I hope you have understood. Ryland Barton, you are a Murder.

  • RealNinjaWasup

    I think his defenders are forgetting a few things, so let me remind you:
    When the act originally happened, it WAS reported to police. What did police do? Nothing. Didn’t even interview the man.
    THEN the girl went public with the accusations BECAUSE police didn’t actually conduct a serious investigation (Which would include actually interviewing the man). FINALLY, when police were actually going to re-investigate, this guy took his life.
    So tell me, how did this girls’ actions actually hurt this man? Seems highly likely he had something to hide. Not saying that’s a fact, but here we are…

    • It should be remembered, according to the published note, the alleged victim did not appear on several occasions before the police to detail his complaint. I suppose that the alleged victim demonstrated the guilt of his alleged victimizer before a court. If not, it’s just a slander with political origins.

      • Derpy

        Where do you see that? I read through the supplemental files and don’t see where the victim failed to appear. I think you are #fakenews. Do they pay you to troll?

        • 66gardeners

          walter is an obvious Russian troll

          • Yes, of course, it is affirmed by someone who hides behind the name “66gardeners” and of total anonymity …

        • Typical of the Democrats, as if there were no traitor Communists in their ranks, well, well, if they can not win clean, then they play dirty.

          • Derpy

            Walter, you still didn’t answer the question. Where do you see that she did not appear?

          • Derpy. Do not play the fool: The Louisville Metro Police Department opened an inquiry, but detectives later closed the case, citing a lack of interest or assistance from the teen. She told KyCIR she never wanted the case abandoned and that detectives reopened the case months ago, following KyCIR’s “inquiries”.
            Hasta se nota la presión de éste medio de Izquierda en buscar cinco patas al gato. Hoy en dia, hasta supuestos periodistas matan, sea con la pistola o politicamente, como que ésto no es conocido en Cuba, Venezuela o en Rusia.

          • Derpy

            Right. And the piece explains that they had called and her mother had said they weren’t sure about it and the police had closed the investigation without telling them they were closing it. I think there is a difference between saying “we aren’t sure” and saying “we want it closed” and the police department never told them they were planning to close it. External reviewers looking at the case concluded that the investigation had been mishandled. That is not the same as failing to show up and you are mistaken if you do not recognize that.

          • I hope that a lawsuit will be initiated in order to clarify if there were political insults. That’s the good thing about the US, even relatives can sue for inducing suicide …

          • Derpy

            We’ll see. It sounds like you are pretty strongly anti-woman. All I can say is I hope times are changing for the better. I would sue my grandfather for raping my mom and inducing her suicide but unfortunately he is also dead, and blessed by the church and praised for what a swell guy he was.

          • See then, now he dismisses me as an oppressor of women without having any evidence, just supposes it, only pleads for the mental deficiency of many of his left-handed comrades. Nothing counts false, women today are neither fragile nor oppressed, in that case, go to fight for their rights to “Palestina”, it seems that they do not have the same rights as women in the West.

          • Derpy

            (a) I am a she. (b) You have presented your own opinions which I interpreted as the basis of my statement. If you don’t like how you are perceived, then consider your own words.

          • You need help from a psychologist, your family problems are reflected in your hatred against men, which can not hide at all. It is clear that there are monsters in this world, men and women, you are not the only one with family problems. So try to overcome them.

          • Derpy

            You are totally a spambot. Russian AI is pretty awful.

          • Derpy

            Also, are you really arguing that my mom’s suicide as a victim of incest is mental deficiency but this guy’s suicide is because of the media? I can’t even.

          • Derpy

            Also, you’ll be happy to know that my mom was as right wing and religious as you can get, and she would roll over in her grave to be called left handed.

    • bptr

      It is clear that the police protected him.

  • Sashimi73

    What if it was your daughter who was molested? – to all those defending this man.

    • What happens if your daughter lies, you defend her blindly? I suppose that the alleged victim demonstrated the guilt of his alleged victimizer before a court. If not, it’s just a slander with political origins.

      • 66gardeners

        We believe your daughter would lie. Not Ms. Richmond

      • Derpy

        How do you decide if your daughter is lying or not?

    • JayRaskin

      What if your son, or brother or father was falsely accused? – to all those prosecuting this man.

      • Former Compass Attendee

        What if you were the molester and your lies started catching up with you? Would you kill yourself, or keep lying?

        • JayRaskin

          People who believe false accusations in turn make false accusations to defend their beliefs. It is a vicious circle/cycle that needs to be broken as soon as possible.

        • 66gardeners

          Bingo Dan did the deed after it caught up with him.

      • Derpy

        What if your grandpa was legitimately accused? My grandfather raped his daughters and some of his grandchildren and nevertheless never faced prosecution. He died with last rites. My mom, his victim, died by a gunshot wound to her head because she never got over what he did to her. I guess this is the outcome you would prefer to see.

    • Couranto

      I have two daughters and I’d want more than a vague five year old facebook message that proved nothing before publicly ruining a person’s life.

      Have you ever molested anyone? Has the reporter? How do I know you haven’t? Prove the unprovable. Because that’s where we’re at. It’s become a political weapon where the accused is immediately convicted and the accuser is protected and never cross examined. You, me or your family member could be accused tomorrow – a life and career gone in a second with no due process – all based on politics.

      • Darth Soros™

        100 upvotes.

      • 66gardeners

        May your daughters and sons have a life full of Dan Johnsons

      • Derpy

        You’re basically saying that women’s experiences don’t matter, that our voice and our legal obligation to state the truth doesn’t carry any weight. How often do you think there are witnesses? What do you want in terms of proof? Is it semen or bust? We had a girl in my hospital not too long ago who was sent to three different places over a span of 24 hours to try and get a rape kit done but no one had trained staff to collect it. And since the city has a multiyear backlog of rape kits that haven’t even been investigated, then what is the point? Not to mention that if finding a perp’s semen is what it takes to believe someone (I’m guessing then you would fight over how consensual it was), what about all the types of sexual contact that fall short of that indicator? I’m really curious how you would like to hold perpetrators of sexual assault accountable, or if you are saying that such assault does not occur.

    • Darth Soros™

      It’s still an accusation that was investigated and dropped. Why pose it as a guaranteed fact that we should all ponder when it’s not?

      I’m not defending the man. I’m defending humanity from this rabid court of public opinion being stirred by the media. It’s unhealthy for our society to have people accused and destroyed without them having a chance to prove their innocence. It’s happening every day now that people are ruined with nothing but accusations. We’re even seeing proof that people are being paid to make false accusations. Google up on that if you haven’t already seen it come out in the last 24 hours.

      • 66gardeners

        It was dropped inappropriately. Dan Johnson was a pedophile, just like Roy Moore. Sicko – and you are defending this.

        • Darth Soros™

          I am not. What evidence do you have that Dan Johnson was a pedophile? I have heard nothing.

          • 66gardeners

            He molested a minor. There is enough evidence to convict this man in the form of the therapist’s notes

          • Darth Soros™

            What therapist’s notes? His or the child’s?

          • 66gardeners

            do you read? CAN you read? The original article on Johnson and his Con details these notes explicitly.

          • Darth Soros™

            The accuser’s therapist, which is by logical extension no different than the accuser’s own accusation repeated. That doesn’t prove anything at all. If I say you hit me and you didn’t, then I tell my therapist that you hit me, that somehow makes it true? Wow you are comical in your logical deduction skills.

          • 66gardeners

            Maybe these notes prove nothing to you. To a court of law they would indeed.

            In addition, consider everything else detailed in the original article about Dan the Con Man and you can see this was one sicko dude who had a history of serving alcohol illegally to minors as well.

          • Darth Soros™

            No, the notes would not mean anything in a court of law. You seriously have no clue what you’re talking about.

            Like I said, I’m done with talking to crazies. I’m happy that you’re happy a man is dead. Good day.

          • 66gardeners

            Glad you are happy Dan is dead. I’m happy you are happy. Just minutes ago you confessed to be ignorant of the facts in this case.

  • Dawn Garza

    So incredibly sad for his family. It’s also incredibly tragic to not own up to all the lies when he was supposed to be a man of God. There was plenty of evidence and anyone at any time could of investigated to find the the truth about him if they wanted to. The journalists doubted and wanted to find the truth and they investigated. If you’re not guilty you prove it and if you are guilty you confess and make amends, you humble yourself and accept the consequences. That’s what I learned in church. God be with his family.

    • Rather, the journalist and many others, did not hesitate to judge him without being demonstrated before a court his culpability. Now you no longer enjoy the right to presumption.

      • Dawn Garza

        I didn’t see judging in the article. They had questions and found answers by asking/investigating. They asked him many times to explain all of his odd claims. For example, Ted Nugent endorsed him at airport rally, Nugent spokesperson and airport says that event never happened. Ok explain yourself. Why is it judging to ask about something that doesn’t make sense? It seems he was in too deep, took it too far and ended in tragedy. Again, I pray God would comfort his family that was left behind to deal with such a horrible thing that suicide is.

        • With assumptions we could judge anyone, even witchcraft.

          • 66gardeners

            good bye felecia

    • Dawn Garza

      I know you’re hurting for the loss of your loved one. Scream, cry, no one blames you for lashing out, it will take time to heal. I’m so sorry.

      • JayRaskin

        What was the evidence other then false accusations by politically motivated women?

        • 66gardeners

          Did you have a lobotomy performed by Ben Carson?

  • Quiet Dogwood

    A lot of people here are confused about the nature of suicide and ownership of one’s actions.
    Don’t kill yourself AT people. The “this will show them” attitude about suicide is juvenile at best and at worst it is a serious lack of logic.
    Rep. Johnson likely had some serious mental issues beyond the obvious narcissism that were deeply exacerbated by the investigation.
    It’s a tragedy that could have been avoided had such a broken man never been placed under so much pressure, by himself first, and by voters second.

    • 66gardeners

      Likewise, It’s a tragedy to have someone like Trump elected as president.

  • Darth Soros™

    You got what you wanted. Congratulations on your assassination.

    I just hope that people remember the guy was investigated for the alleged molestation and cleared. The garbage news was compiled to destroy the guy.

    • 66gardeners

      Liar. Johnson was never cleared. He, in fact, refused to answer to his many lies when caught.

      • Darth Soros™

        No charges were filed following an investigation. Prove me wrong. I’d like to be shown that I have read the facts of this situation incorrectly. If you can’t, retract the comment that I’m a liar. Let’s hear it. Bring on the facts.

        • 66gardeners

          Read the original article on KYCIr about Johnson’s life as a con man. Very revealing about who he was with facts to back it up. This is brilliant investigative journalism at its finest.

          • Darth Soros™

            We’re talking about the molestation accusation. You’re extrapolating anything you can, grasping at straws, to try to make the molestation accusation automatically true by default. That’s insane.

          • 66gardeners

            Read the piece and educate yourself, if you can. The original article is brilliant and very revealing about who Johnson was. Thank you Jesus. Johnson was given 7 months to answer to their questions before printing the article.

  • 66gardeners

    This is one of the most well-written investigative journalism pieces I have ever read (referring to the original Dan the Con piece). Dan Johnson took his life because he knew he did not have the courage to face the music for his past misdeeds. That reflects on him only. He sounds like a typical sociopath if ever there was one. Anyone trying to put the blame anyone but square on Dan the Con is misdirected. Dan Johnson was a known liar, thief, arsonist, deadbeat dad, con man, and child molester.

    • Wow, if it is about psychopaths, we have the witch hunt, in this case, who consider a person guilty without trial or conviction, today it is only necessary that people without scruples and morality use their daughters to raise false accusations . Above all, those leftists who hate the system and betray their country as other communists have done throughout history.

  • Mark Jewett

    Don’t blame others for the bad outcome of this Rep. Johnson’s many bad choices. He chose to assault this young woman, he chose to live the life he lived in the way he chose to live it,
    he chose to kill himself. That’s on him. Not on the victim, not on the media, not on anyone… except Rep. Johnson.

    • 66gardeners

      Can I get a Hallelujah? AMEN!

  • 66gardeners

    Anybody here going to his funeral?

    • 66gardeners

      guess not

  • Good riddance, rapist.

  • Barry

    No one was claiming that his actions deserved a death sentence, but sadly he passed that sentence upon himself. The primary claim was that he was not fit to hold a position of authority in our government. Republican or Democrat (like, incidentally, the other Dan Johnson, city councilman who was under similar scrutiny this summer), we must hold our elected representatives to an extremely high ethical standard. Thank you, KyCIR, for doing what we have an obligation to do. My sympathies go out to family and friends and those negatively affected.

  • Allan Brewster

    Media should be required to report the truth. Hearsay is not truth until proven so in a court of Law. None of the sexual assault cases have ever been taken to court, nor reported to a hospital of Police Office when it was claimed to have happened.