VALDOSTA — The family of Kendrick “KJ” Johnson has filed a petition for a coroner’s inquest, demanding a jury hear evidence regarding the teen’s death nearly six years ago.

Chevene King, attorney for the Johnsons, filed the petition Friday in Lowndes County Superior Court. The petition for mandamus names former coroner Bill Watson and current Lowndes County Coroner Austin Fiveash as defendants; the petition seeks a coroner’s inquest with a jury, which would look into the death of Johnson.

The jury could decide if foul play occurred in Johnson’s death, which took place January 2013. His body was found in a rolled-up gym mat inside the Lowndes High School gym. A state autopsy and a federal investigation concluded the death was accidental. The family maintains Johnson, 17, was killed.

“We can only hope that through a process, whereby the public and through a jury listening to the evidence, that we will experience some measure of justice — not simply a teaspoon or a half cup, but the full measure of justice that each and every citizen is entitled to receive,” King said.

Fiveash found out about the petition shortly after King announced it to the press.

“I have only just heard from the media about the proposed motion in this case,” Fiveash said in a statement. “Without any formal knowledge of such, it would be premature to comment.”

The petition comes on the heels of Johnson’s third autopsy, which was the second private autopsy, conducted in November by pathologists William Anderson and Matthias Okoye. The family-funded autopsies attribute his death to blunt-force trauma.

King said evidence from the third autopsy is the most compelling and deserves a coroner’s inquest.

“We hope that upon filing this petition for mandamus that the court will see fit to address many of the unanswered questions that many have had since the time they first heard about Kendrick Johnson’s death,” King said.

A coroner’s inquest was first filed by Johnson’s parents, Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson, with Watson on June 3, 2013.

Watson denied their request, even after stating in his coroner’s death investigation report from Jan. 14, 2013, “I do not approve of the manner this case was handled. Not only was the scene compromised, the body was moved, the integrity was breached by opening a sealed body bag, information necessary for my lawful investigation was withheld,” according to court documents filed with the petition.

Though Johnson’s family agree with both private autopsies, ruling his death as non-accidental, the only official state autopsy ruled his death accidental positional asphyxia with no signs of blunt-force trauma.

The Department of Justice also reviewed the case in 2016 and reported no findings of “sufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges.”

The petition asks the court for a decision between 10-30 days — to let King and the family know if the coroner’s inquest is approved or denied and, if it is denied, why. 

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.