It Took 135 Days to Indict Ryan Tolliver Johnson

For those seeking a quick indictment in the boating deaths of two individuals from Georgia, you might want to refer to the indictment of Ryan Tolliver Johnson. The then 19 year old man is accused of killing one man and seriously injuring a young woman. What did Johnson do?

1. He, at the age of 19, illegally obtained liquor in some manner.
2. He illegally consumed enough liquor to have an extremely high BAC.
3. He took illegal possession of a Polaris Ranger UTV.
4. He allowed three extra (illegal) passengers to ride with him.
5. He illegally operated the UTV on a public highway.
6. He attempted a maneuver that a sane, sober person would not have.

How long did it take to indict Ryan Tolliver Johnson for his crimes? The UTV accident occurred on September 16, 2017, and Johnson was indicted between January 29th and January 31st the next year. 

That's a minimum of 135 days for the family of Samuel Newton to have to wait for the first indication of justice. That's 135 days for a young woman who suffered untold injuries to have to wait for someone to say they cared about what had happened to her. 

And what of Johnson now? He was quickly denied youthful offender status, but has not yet come to trial. Our legal system takes time; there's a reason for that. Whoever did anything illegal on the night of June 8th will hopefully be indicted for their crimes. Isn't it better to wait until all the evidence is ready to be presented to a grand jury before anyone rushes in?

Tell It To The Judge, Ryan...