Marital status of former Houston Co. prosecutor could be at forefront of upcoming trial
HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala (WDHN) — The personal life and marital status of a former Houston County prosecutor accused of soliciting “sexual favors” and having an online relationship with a past defendant may be brought up during his trial.
During Tuesday’s hearing, state prosecutors with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office said it is vital that the jury hear about Johnson’s marital status to show why he allegedly committed the crimes.
However, Johnson’s attorneys are fighting against this, saying the jury does not need to hear about Johnson’s personal life and the case should focus on his status as an Assistant District Attorney.
Assistant Attorney General Kyle Beckman fought against this, saying it would “grossly misinform the jury” if they did not discuss his marital status. Johnson was married when the alleged crimes occurred.
Johnson’s legal troubles began after a woman he once prosecuted on drug charges, Jamie Connolly, wrote a letter while she was in jail to a Houston County Judge in 2022, claiming the two had an “online relationship” the year before.
The letter sparked an investigation, which resulted in Johnson being charged with six counts of ethics violations and fired from the Houston County DA’s Office
Prosecutors claim Connolly was not the only woman he “solicited,” saying there are multiple female witnesses or defendants with whom he traded favors. Some of those women are set to testify during Johnson’s trial, expected to begin on August 19.
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