News

Actions

Defendants Seek Attorney Fees in Dismissed Kendrick Johnson Case

Kendrick Johnson
Posted at 4:06 PM, Mar 11, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-11 11:33:35-05

VALDOSTA, GA (WTXL) - Multiple defendants have filed motions for the family of Kendrick Johnson to pay their attorney fees after the lawsuit was dismissed earlier this month.

According to court documents, the six different requests filed so far would mean the Johnson family would pay a combined total of more than $950,000 in legal fees for the defendants. This includes nearly $350,000 for the Lowndes County Board of Education and just over $240,000 for the Bell family, who were named in the original $100 million wrongful death lawsuit.

The lawsuit accused the sheriff, school superintendent, and an FBI agent of placing the 17-year-old's body inside a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High School more than three years ago.

Johnson family attorney Chevene King said the family filed March 1 for "Voluntary Dismissal Without Prejudice", which means that the case is temporarily being dismissed, but can be filed again at a later date.

The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, the City of Valdosta and other individual parties were among the others filing for attorney's fees, court documents showed.