Whatever happened to Billy Ray Johnson? He used to be a familiar face around town: the middle-aged and mentally challenged black man who was always walking the back roads of Linden.
On a September night in 2003, he was picked up and driven to a pasture party where four young white men gave him beer and told him to dance. They laughed and called him a nigger. Then one of them beat Billy Ray into unconsciousness. Afterward, his body was dumped on the side of a country road.
Johnson nearly died.
The collective shoulder shrug of Linden’s residents drew national outrage. “Old South racism lives in Texas town,” read one headline in the Chicago Tribune.
High-powered civil rights lawyer Morris Dees took up Johnson’s case, and in April 2007, a civil jury awarded a $9 million verdict. “After the case was over, they sat in the jury box and talked about how it had changed the community and the whole region,” Dees said in a recent phone interview.
“They felt the attention brought on the case by the news media was making their town look bad, but when they saw the facts brought out, they showed the nation they weren’t racially biased or bigoted and they could do justice.”
With the trial’s conclusion, the media glare turned elsewhere, and life as usual returned to most of Linden’s 2,100 residents. But Johnson’s story didn’t end there. The fight for his money was only beginning.
5,937 responses to “The ballad of Billy Ray”
Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular post! It is the little changes that produce the greatest changes. Thanks for sharing!
Hey there! I simply wish to give you a big thumbs up for the great info you’ve got right here on this post. I am returning to your site for more soon.
An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a colleague who had been conducting a little homework on this. And he in fact ordered me lunch due to the fact that I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending the time to discuss this topic here on your website.
You made some decent points there. I checked on the web for additional information about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this site.
Oh my goodness! Incredible article dude! Thank you so much, However I am going through issues with your RSS. I don’t know why I cannot join it. Is there anybody else getting identical RSS problems? Anyone who knows the answer will you kindly respond? Thanx.
I couldn’t resist commenting. Exceptionally well written.
After I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I receive four emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a means you are able to remove me from that service? Thanks a lot.
How to Use DeFiLlama: A Practical Guide for Navigating DeFi Analytics
How to Use DeFiLlama: A Practical Guide for Navigating DeFi Analytics
How to Use DeFiLlama: A Practical Guide for Navigating DeFi Analytics
I really love your blog.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you build this web site yourself? Please reply back as I’m trying to create my own website and would love to find out where you got this from or exactly what the theme is called. Cheers.
Excellent article! We will be linking to this particularly great content on our website. Keep up the good writing.
Good day! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with SEO? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good success. If you know of any please share. Kudos!
Hi there, I found your site via Google while looking for a related topic, your web site came up, it looks great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
The cleanest dashboard in DeFi? Easily DefiLlama.
Didn’t know where my yield was until I found DefiLlama. Game changer.
Want to track real DeFi adoption? Just watch DefiLlama TVL.
Love how DefiLlama keeps adding new chains and protocols.
Every DeFi decision I make starts with checking DefiLlama.
I love how fast DefiLlama adds new tokens and protocols.
I’ve made way smarter decisions since I started using DefiLlama Analytics.
bookmarked!!, I love your website!
My LP strategy improved massively after using DefiLlama.
I used to be able to find good information from your content.
This site was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something that helped me. Many thanks.
Bridge BTC on RenBridge
RenBridge
RenBridge
RenBridge
RenBridge Review
RenBridge
RenBridge Review
RenBridge
We’re a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your website provided us with valuable information to work on. You have done a formidable job and our entire community will be thankful to you.
There are definitely a lot of details like that to take into consideration. That is a great level to deliver up. I supply the thoughts above as common inspiration however clearly there are questions just like the one you bring up the place the most important factor shall be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if best practices have emerged round things like that, but I’m positive that your job is clearly recognized as a good game. Both girls and boys really feel the influence of only a moment?s pleasure, for the rest of their lives.
F*ckin? remarkable things here. I?m very glad to peer your post. Thank you a lot and i’m having a look ahead to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your web site offered us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our entire community will be grateful to you.