Officer Cassie Johnson Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Justice Signs Cassie Johnson Act Into Law

The memorial act, Senate Bill 490, creates a criminal penalty for interfering with an on-duty law enforcement officer, resulting in the officer’s death.

Gov. Jim Justice signed the Patrol Officer Cassie Marie Johnson Memorial Act into law Monday morning.

The bill is named after Charleston Police Officer Cassie Johnson, 28, who died after being shot in December 2020.

The prosecution in the case originally charged Joshua Phillips, the man who shot Johnson, with first-degree murder. Prosecutors said Johnson was worried about her safety because Phillips had pulled a gun, prevented Johnson from getting to her service weapon and struggled with her before shots were fired.

In June 2022, Phillips was found guilty of second-degree murder, following three days of deliberations in the trial.

The memorial act, Senate Bill 490, creates a criminal penalty for interfering with an on-duty law enforcement officer, resulting in the officer’s death.

“The vote was unanimous in both chambers, and I salute them in every way,” Justice said. “Thank you all for, for everything. Basically, what this is doing is stiffening the penalties. This is Senate Bill 490. Patrol Officer, Cassie Marie Johnson Memorial Act. So like I said with great, great honor. When someone takes the life of one of our law enforcement officers, this bill makes sure that they are punished for their actions, and so I’m going to sign.”

The penalty for killing an on-duty law enforcement officer in West Virginia is now life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years.

After Monday’s signing of Senate Bill 490, Mayor of Charleston, Amy Shuler Goodwin released a statement.

“There is not a day that goes by that we don’t think about Cassie, her commitment to our community, and the loss that was experienced by so many – especially her brothers and sisters in blue,” said Goodwin. “We appreciate the Legislature’s willingness to sit down and listen to our police officers – and, especially, the family of Cassie Johnson.”

Gunman Found Guilty For Killing Charleston Patrolman Johnson

A man was found guilty Monday in the fatal shooting of a West Virginia police officer who had responded to a parking complaint in 2020.

A Kanawha County jury announced the verdict on a second-degree murder charge following three days of deliberations in the trial of Joshua Phillips. He originally was charged with first-degree murder.

The jury also found Phillips guilty of simple possession of a controlled substance, news outlets reported.

Charleston Police Officer Cassie Johnson, 28, died after being shot in the neck in Dec. 2020. According to a police complaint, a resident had said that Phillips, of Charleston, parked his sport utility vehicle on her property.

Prosecutors said Johnson was worried about her safety because Phillips had pulled a gun, prevented Johnson from getting to her service revolver and struggled with her before shots were fired. According to testimony at the trial, Phillips fired six shots.

In response to the verdict, Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said her thoughts were with Johnson’s family.

“Since the moment when I arrived at the hospital the evening that Patrol Officer Cassie Johnson was fatally shot, my heart has been with Cassie’s mom, Sheryl; her sister, Chelsea; and her brothers and sisters in blue at the Charleston Police Department,” Goodwin said in a news release. “It has been a painful journey – not only for Cassie’s family and friends – but also for our community. While this was not the verdict we had hoped for, I hope today’s decision by the jury brings some level of peace and closure.”

Charleston Chief of Police Tyke Hunt said it was not the verdict he wanted, but that he would continue to have faith in the justice system.

“While there’s nothing we can do to bring back a fallen sister, her death will not be in vain. The officers of the Charleston Police Department will work to uphold her memory in the job she so dearly loved,” he said.

Jury Selection To Begin For Man Accused Of Killing Officer Cassie Johnson

A West Virginia judge has ruled that jury selection will begin this week for a man accused of killing a Charleston police officer.

Kanawha Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Bailey said during a pretrial hearing on Tuesday that jury selection for Joshua Phillips will begin Thursday, ahead of the trial scheduled to begin Monday, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reported.

The judge declined to rule on a motion from defense attorneys to move the trial out of Kanawha County.

“I believe the appropriate thing to do is to continue to hold the motion in abeyance to consider, as I had indicated previously, whether or not a jury could be properly selected in this case with a greater number of persons available only for this trial,” Bailey said.

Phillips is charged with fatally shooting Officer Cassie Johnson, 28, in 2020 when she responded to a parking lot complaint.

Charleston Street Named ‘Patrolman Cassie Johnson Avenue'

At Monday’s meeting, the Charleston City Council voted to honorarily name Garrison Avenue as “Patrolman Cassie Johnson Avenue.”

On December 1, 2020, Johnson was shot in the line of duty on Garrison Avenue on the city’s West Side. She died less than a week later from her injuries.

“Patrolman Cassie Johnson was an exemplary public servant who had a passion for the citizens that she served,” said Chief Tyke Hunt. “This honorary street naming will act as a constant reminder of her bravery, courage and determination to serve the City of Charleston.”

The Charleston Police Department’s D-shift, the shift Johnson worked on, entered the petition for the honorary street-naming.

Members of law enforcement agencies from all over West Virginia and numerous other states attended Johnson’s funeral at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center last year.

Johnson was an animal lover and the council also voted to name a new city dog park in honor of Johnson’s labrador retriever Emma.

Funeral Services, Street Closures Set For Officer Cassie Johnson’s Funeral

Funeral services for Charleston Police Officer Cassie Johnson will take place Tuesday, Dec. 8 at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center according to a statement from the city.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to noon with services starting at noon.

Family, friends, law enforcement officers and first responders as well as the general public are now welcome to attend. Social distancing measures will be in place and face coverings will be required.

Johnson was shot after responding to a parking complaint on the city’s north side on Dec. 1. She lived several days on life support and she donated her organs upon her death.

The man accused of shooting Johnson, Joshua Phillips, was shot twice in the torso. Police expect him to survive his injuries and the city plans to charge him with first-degree murder.

The services will be broadcast and live-streamed.

The funeral procession will travel from the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center and turn west on Quarrier Street and then north on Pennsylvania Ave. North where it will enter the interstate at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital on-ramp.

The procession will then go north on Interstate 77 to the Tupper’s Creek exit (Exit 111). Once off the exit, the procession will go east on Call Road to Route 21 North. The procession will end at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens.

Street closures will begin at 6 a.m. and should reopen by 5 p.m. They will include Quarrier Street at Truslow Street, Clendenin Street at Virginia Street East (northbound), Clendenin Street between Quarrier Street and Lee Street, and the two far-right lanes of Lee Street between the bridge and Clendenin Street. All closed city streets should reopen at approximately 5 p.m.