Former Dothan prosecutor wants ethics charges dropped
DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) — A Houston County judge is mulling a request to dismiss felony charges against a former Assistant District Attorney accused of having an online relationship with a past defendant.
Last week, a motion was filed on behalf of Mark Johnson requesting his felony ethics violation charges be dropped.
Johnson’s attorneys claim the prosection’s case is solely based on the evidence presented by accomplices or alleged co-conspirators, which does not make for a strong enough case and goes against Alabama law.
Simplistically speaking, if you subtract the testimony of the accomplices and/or co-conspirators, the government cannot convict; therefore, this case is due to be dismissed as a matter of law.
Attorney’s Motion to Dismiss (Filed March 7)
Johnson was accused of having an online relationship with Jamie Connolly, a defendant in a past case that he prosecuted.
In February 2022, Connolly wrote a letter to the court alleging that Former Houston County Johnson friended her on Facebook in October 2021 and the two began having an “online relationship”.
Johnson was placed on leave after the letter was sent to the judge. He was indicted in October 2022 after an investiation and turned himself in to the Houston County Jail. That same day, former Houston County District Attorney Pat Jones fired Johnson.
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