Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 3-9-18

Features
Father Of Slain Teen Still Seeking ‘Accountability’
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Although it has been more than a year since Jayquon Johnson passed, his family is still trying to come to grips with what happened. And his parents, Ms. Kennishia Doyle-Anderson and Johnny Johnson, Sr., are trying to learn to live with the tragedy.
Shortly after the shooting, Ms. Heidi Quinn and her son, Cody Quinn, were ar- rested.
Ms. Quinn was charged with 2 counts of tampering with physical evidence. The jury couldn’t agree on a verdict and a mistrial was declared.
Ms. Quinn will once again go on trial March 26th.
Johnson said, “I’m still fighting for accountability. My son paid with his life. Each person needs to be held ac- countable. During the first trial, she didn’t request an in- terpreter. Now, she is acting like she doesn’t understand. She has requested one for this trial,” Johnson stated.
A spokesperson for the Hillsborough County State At- torney’s Office confirmed that Ms. Quinn spoke English during the first trial. Her de- fense counsel has requested a German interpreter during the retrial as a precaution.
“I was there for the last trial and I will be there for this one. Heidi Quinn clearly broke the law. That’s just a smokescreen being thrown up
Johnny Johnson, left, is shown with his son, the late Jayquon Johnson, who died on January 1, 2017.
to distract from her actions. She should not have disturbed the scene.
“No one called for help for my son. I still believe my son may have lived if they had called for help,” Johnson said.
After the shooting, police said Ms. Quinn buried both guns, and then dug them back up before police arrived on the day of the shooting.
Johnson said he hopes those who knew his son will at- tend court to be a voice for Jayquon. “I’m trying to get support. I’m not going to let this be swept under the rug.
“I’m on a mission. Hope- fully no other parent will have to go through this. The judicial system was never set up to benefit me and my kind. I’ve seen people held accountable for less. It’s hard when you
know it’s not right.
“I still don’t know what
happened to my son. It didn’t go down like they said it did. They have closed their investi- gation, but I can’t close mine. I will not let it blow away in the wind,” Johnson said.
Jayquon was 17 when he died on January 1, 2017, after being shot. Cody Quinn, who was 16 at the time of the shoot- ing, admitted to shooting Johnson, but claimed self- defense. Police stated in charg- ing affidavits that Johnson had gone to purchase mari- juana from Quinn and both were armed. Quinn alleged that Johnson attempted to rob him and he shot in self-de- fense. The shooting took place in the garage of the home on Cabbage Palm Drive, in Val- rico.
The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office de- clined to charge Cody Quinn with murder.
Instead, he was charged with trafficking in oxycodone, possession of cannabis with the intent to sell, being a minor in possession of a firearm, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is awaiting trial on the charges.
Johnson will appear on “What’s Really Happen- ing,” on Saturday, March 10th, and March 17th, from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. The show is hosted by Bishop Michelle Patty and King Cobra, and airs on 1150 AM WTMP Radio. Listeners can call in at (813) 251-9867.
Grandmother Of Accident Victim Dies Suddenly
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
The grandmother of a young man critically injured in an ac- cident last week has died. Ms. Michelle Dennison was 55- years-old.
A Tampa native, Ms. Den- nison was the grandmother of Dudley “Popi” Bryant, IV. The accident that has left Bryant, 22, critically injured took place last Friday evening on Lumsden Road.
Ms. Saija Coleman, 22, died at the scene. Her boyfriend, Jayson Upshaw, Jr., 22, was also critically in- jured.
One of her daughters, Ms. Nakeshia Smith, said the family learned of the accident early Saturday morning.
Ms. Smith said her mother was at the hospital Saturday af- ternoon while Bryant was in surgery. The family was told that the surgery would last about two hours.
Ms. Dennison said she was going home and she would come back. She left Tampa General Hospital with her 16- year-old grandson.
A short time later, Ms. Smith said her son called and said his grandmother was not feeling well and had told him to call 9-1-1, which he did. She told her son to have the ambu- lance bring Ms. Dennison to Tampa General.
Emergency Personnel transported her to the closest medical facility, which was Brandon Regional Hospital. Ms. Dennison was pro- nounced deceased at 6:24 p.m.
A product of the Hillsbor- ough County Public School Sys- tem, Ms. Dennison battled MS and Lupus for 27 years.
MS. MICHELLE DENNISON 9/16/1962 —- 3/3/2018
However, she always en- couraged others to do better. “She talked about God a lot and she wanted to share her knowl- edge with others. She loved to read mystery books and watch mystery movies. She liked Oprah and Michael Jackson was her favorite,” Ms. Smith said.
She further said her mother never stopped trying to im- prove herself. She had enrolled at Springfield College, but her health would not allow her to continue and she only com- pleted one semester.
She loved her children and had a special relationship with them. “I had 37 wonderful years with my mother. But, she had a special bond with all of her grandchildren. She was an awe- some, wonderful grandmother. She needed her grandchildren around her,” she said.
A Tampa native, Ms. Den- nison was the daughter of Ms. Maggie J. Seay and Herman Martin and the stepdaughter of Willie J. Patterson, Sr. She was the mother of 4 chil- dren and grandmother to sev- eral others.
Aikens Funeral Home is in charge of handling arrange- ments.
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018