Rodney Joseph Johnson
Encyclopedia
Rodney Joseph Johnson was a decorated Houston Police
officer
who served 14 years with the agency prior to his death in the line of duty
on September 21, 2006. Johnson's death remains as a significant line of duty incident with regards to criminal illegal immigrants
and the need for reform of immigration policy
.
and graduated in 1984. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and serve six years.
in the U.S. Army and a corrections officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
prior to joining the Houston Police Department
in 1994. He was awarded two Lifesaving Awards from the Houston Police Department
and the Medal of Valor
from the state of Texas
for his work in the Southeast Gang Task Force. After serving the Southeast Gang Task Force, he was then transferred to the Traffic Division, where he loved working in until his death. His wife, Joslyn Johnson is also a Houston Police Sergeant
.
southeast of downtown
. The speeding vehicle was a white Ford pickup truck operated by Juan Leonardo Quintero. Johnson pulled over Quintero for speeding and requested to see his driver's license. Quintero couldn't furnish a driver's license and Johnson decided to arrest him. Johnson handcuffed Quintero and performed a pat down search
. After being handcuffed, Quintero was placed in the backseat of Johnson's police car. Johnson entered his patrol car and started writing a police report. While Johnson was writing a police report, Juan Quintero managed to moved his handcuffed hands in front of him, pulled out a concealed 9mm caliber
handgun
from his waistband through thick layers of clothing and shot Officer Rodney Johnson four times in the back of his head. Despite being fatally shot, Johnson was able to push an emergency button in his patrol car, which alerted officers of the situation. After Quintero shot Johnson, he then fired some shots which missed a tow truck driver who was near the scene. When officers arrived, they found Quintero, still in the backseat of the patrol car handcuffed with the gun. Quintero was placed in custody shortly afterwards.
. Quintero managed to get an insanity plea for the murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
for selling a gun to a Quintero's wife. His wife was sold the gun so that she could fill out the federally mandated paperwork for the purchase of the gun because Quintero's immigration status and criminal record made him ineligible to legally buy a gun.
Juan Quintero will be executed if the law decides whether it is necessary. Quintero is currently sentenced to life in prison without parole and recently made an unsuccessful attempt to escape.
Texas Governor Rick Perry
awarded Officer Johnson with the Star of Texas Award given to fallen and injured first responders in addition to Bill SR912 honoring the slain officer.
Houston Police Department
The Houston Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency serving the City of Houston, Texas, United States and some surrounding areas. Its headquarters are in 1200 Travis in Downtown Houston....
officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
who served 14 years with the agency prior to his death in the line of duty
Line of Duty Death
A line of duty death is a death in the fire service while on duty at an emergency or drill. On average, there are more than 100 LODDs in the United States per year...
on September 21, 2006. Johnson's death remains as a significant line of duty incident with regards to criminal illegal immigrants
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
and the need for reform of immigration policy
Immigration policy
An immigration policy is any policy of a state that deals with the transit of persons across its borders into the country, but especially those that intend to work and to remain in the country. Immigration policies can range from allowing no migration at all to allowing most types of migration,...
.
Early life
Rodney Johnson was born on October 25, 1965 to David E. Johnson and Cynthia Johnson in Houston, Texas. At age 14, Johnson moved to Oakland, CA and attended school at Oakland Technical High SchoolOakland Technical High School
Oakland Technical High School, known locally as Oakland Tech, or just simply "Tech", is a public high school in Oakland, California, and is operated under the jurisdiction of the Oakland Unified School District.-Background:...
and graduated in 1984. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and serve six years.
Law enforcement history
Johnson served as military policeMilitary police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
in the U.S. Army and a corrections officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
prior to joining the Houston Police Department
Houston Police Department
The Houston Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency serving the City of Houston, Texas, United States and some surrounding areas. Its headquarters are in 1200 Travis in Downtown Houston....
in 1994. He was awarded two Lifesaving Awards from the Houston Police Department
Houston Police Department
The Houston Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency serving the City of Houston, Texas, United States and some surrounding areas. Its headquarters are in 1200 Travis in Downtown Houston....
and the Medal of Valor
Medal of Valor
The Medal of Valor is the highest Israeli military decoration.The medal was established in 1970 by the Knesset in an act of law as a replacement for the Hero of Israel military decoration that was awarded during the War of Independence...
from the state of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
for his work in the Southeast Gang Task Force. After serving the Southeast Gang Task Force, he was then transferred to the Traffic Division, where he loved working in until his death. His wife, Joslyn Johnson is also a Houston Police Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
.
Line of duty death
On September 21, 2006, Officer Rodney Johnson spotted a speeding vehicle doing 50 MPH in 30 MPH zone on Randolph Street near Braniff, near William P. Hobby AirportWilliam P. Hobby Airport
William P. Hobby Airport is a public airport in Houston, Texas, located from Downtown Houston. The airport covers and has four runways. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was the city's primary air terminal until the opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969...
southeast of downtown
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
. The speeding vehicle was a white Ford pickup truck operated by Juan Leonardo Quintero. Johnson pulled over Quintero for speeding and requested to see his driver's license. Quintero couldn't furnish a driver's license and Johnson decided to arrest him. Johnson handcuffed Quintero and performed a pat down search
Frisking
Frisking is a search of a person's outer clothing wherein a person runs his or her hands along the outer garments to detect any concealed weapons or contraband.-Stop and frisk:...
. After being handcuffed, Quintero was placed in the backseat of Johnson's police car. Johnson entered his patrol car and started writing a police report. While Johnson was writing a police report, Juan Quintero managed to moved his handcuffed hands in front of him, pulled out a concealed 9mm caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
handgun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
from his waistband through thick layers of clothing and shot Officer Rodney Johnson four times in the back of his head. Despite being fatally shot, Johnson was able to push an emergency button in his patrol car, which alerted officers of the situation. After Quintero shot Johnson, he then fired some shots which missed a tow truck driver who was near the scene. When officers arrived, they found Quintero, still in the backseat of the patrol car handcuffed with the gun. Quintero was placed in custody shortly afterwards.
Juan Leonardo Quintero
Juan Leonardo Quintero, 35, is an illegal alien with mental deficiencies caused by a childhood fall. Quintero, having an extensive criminal record including sexual offenses, was deported in 1999 and returned illegally into the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Quintero managed to get an insanity plea for the murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
Aftermath
Officer Rodney Johnson was laid to rest on September 27, 2006. More than 4,000 people attended his funeral, including city officials, and law enforcement officers from around the county. Donations of more than $87,000 were donated to the 100 Club, an organization for family members of fallen firefighters and police officers. His wife, Joslyn Johnson sued the Houston Police Department for not allowing a two-man patrol car. Johnson also sued "Carter's Country", a gun shop located in Pasadena, TexasPasadena, Texas
Pasadena is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Harris County, 17th-largest in Texas, and 162nd largest in the United States. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett of Galveston....
for selling a gun to a Quintero's wife. His wife was sold the gun so that she could fill out the federally mandated paperwork for the purchase of the gun because Quintero's immigration status and criminal record made him ineligible to legally buy a gun.
Juan Quintero will be executed if the law decides whether it is necessary. Quintero is currently sentenced to life in prison without parole and recently made an unsuccessful attempt to escape.
Texas Governor Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
awarded Officer Johnson with the Star of Texas Award given to fallen and injured first responders in addition to Bill SR912 honoring the slain officer.