Sunday, April 12, 2015

IN LOVING MEMORY OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICER RONALD E. “RJ” JOHNSON [END OF WATCH: APRIL 12, 2011]



            On this date, April 6, 2011, Correctional Officer Ronald Johnson of the South Dakota Department of Corrections, South Dakota, was killed in the line of duty. Let us honor this fallen prison guard and thank God that justice was served, as one of the prison killers, Eric Robert had been executed on October 15, 2012. 

Please go to the Abwehr 1109 Blog to learn more about this fallen Prison Guard and let us hear from his family members from this previous blog post and we will rebut this article.


Ronald Johnson






Rodney Berget faces lethal injection, while group protests death penalty
Updated: Fri 6:22 PM, Apr 03, 2015

SIOUX FALLS - It's been nearly four years since correctional officer Ronald "RJ" Johnson was killed in the line of duty at the state penitentiary here in Sioux Falls.

KSFY News spoke with Johnson's widow outside the academy which bears his name.

Her husband was killed at the state penitentiary by two inmates in a failed escape attempt.

The state executed Eric Robert in 2012.

Rodney Berget is scheduled to die by lethal injection in May.

A group which believes the death penalty is wrong was at the prison Friday to protest.

South Dakotans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty director Denny Davis led the group in prayer. "We come together today brothers and sisters as one people, to pray and to celebrate, love compassion, and service," Davis said.

The group South Dakotans for Alternatives for the Death Penalty chose Good Friday as a day to pray for everyone who suffers. It hopes to get rid of the death penalty in South Dakota.

"We believe that killing someone who has killed, says a great deal about us, as a society. We believe the death penalty is not about what they do, it's about what we do," Davis said.

They gathered at the state penitentiary to speak out against the death penalty, but the group also prays for those who've suffered in life. and Lynette Johnson suffered the loss of the love of her life.

Ronald Johnosn's widow Lynette Johnson said "they believe the death penalty is wrong and it's not. I've asked them when they've appealed the death penalty to please, try and fix the problem here first."

Where nearly four years ago, Lynette's husband Ronald "RJ" Johnson was killed by two inmates in the line of duty during a failed prison escape. One still sits on death row.

"He's allowed visitation with his family, he gets mail, he has connection with the outside world, he's taken that away from Ron and I and our family," Johnson said.

"We come to out to pray for everyone, not only the people who are on death row, but also the victim's families. We pray for people of domestic violence. We pray for the immigrants. We pray for all people who suffer," Davis said.

It may be difficult for some to understand what Lynette has endured.

"I don't want anybody to actually know what I'm going through because they only way they'd know that is if it this happened to them," Johnson said.

"We respect Lynette, we pray for her because i know she is still grieving," Davis added.

"She didn't deserve what she got in her life, her husband did not deserve that but it's a reality," Davis said.

It's a reality Lynette has had to live with every day for the past four years.

"some people say it's an old story, old news. it's not, its my life, i wake up, and think another day, maybe something's going to happen, we'll get to the truth, someone will tell the truth maybe the D.O.C. will admit," Johnson said.

Lynette Johnson continues her fight in working on an appeal in her case against the department of corrections whom she holds responsible for her husband's death.

"I want the truth. I want to hold everybody responsible, held accountable for Ron's murder, and that is not done yet," Johnson said. 


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