For Immediate Release
Contact: Public Relations 404-969-4001

Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Johnson Named Assistant District Attorney of the Year

John B. Johnson III, Chief Assistant District Attorney for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, has been named the 2007 Assistant District Attorney of the Year by the District Attorneys’ Association of Georgia. The announcement was made on Sunday, July 22, 2007 at the 47 th Annual Summer Conference held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on Jekyll Island, Georgia, and sponsored by the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council.

During the opening session of the conference, four outstanding members of the prosecutorial community were recognized as District Attorney, Solicitor-General, Assistant District Attorney and Assistant Solicitor-General of the year. This year, the District Attorneys’ Association recognized Pete Skandalakis of the Coweta Judicial Circuit as District Attorney of the Year. Johnson was honored as Assistant District Attorney of the Year. The Georgia Association of Solicitors-General recognized Otis Scarbary of Bibb County as Solicitor-General of the Year. Jimmy Newkirk of Cobb County was honored as the Assistant Solicitor-General of the Year.

Johnson was nominated for the distinction by Stephen Kelley. Kelley is the District Attorney of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit. The award was presented by Ken Wynne, District Attorney for the Alcovy Judicial Circuit and incoming President of the District Attorneys’ Association.

“The purpose of this award is to recognize the Assistant District Attorney that has made a significant contribution to the cause of prosecution,” said Wynne. “ With a steadfast devotion to prosecution, this year’s recipient stands out in a field of exceptionally hard-working prosecutors.”

Johnson is a native of Statesboro, Georgia and graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Mercer University. He entered the United States Air Force in 1966 as a Second Lieutenant. In 1976, he graduated Magna cum Laude with a Juris Doctor and a Master of Laws degree in 1977 from Woodrow Wilson School . He was appointed as an Assistant District Attorney for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit in 1977. He was promoted to Chief Assistant District Attorney in 1979.

“John has been a true die hard prosecutor his entire legal career,” said Kelley in his nominating letter. “He helped establish his circuit’s Drug Task Force and was an instructor at the Coastal Police Academy for several years. A search in Lexis (legal on-line information service), revealed he has personally written 115 appeals. Thirty-one of those were murder cases. Many of those were death penalty cases. He is currently involved in four death penalty cases,” said Kelley.

“John has always looked for ways to prosecute when others would have given up. He has tried hundreds of cases. Twenty years ago, a preacher and his wife were murdered in Camden County. The murder went unsolved for years and was even aired on Unsolved Mysteries. Eighteen years after the commission of that crime, John successfully prosecuted the case. He literally spent months organizing and evaluating boxes and boxes of evidence,” said Kelley.

Wynne continued the award presentation speech. “In the community, John has been very active. He is a past Master of the Masonic Lodge, past president of the Jaycees, past State Jaycee Chaplin, and past president of the Jesup Shrine Club. He is also the Divan in the Shiners organization.

“John has shown a commitment to the citizens of his community to make the community a safer place to live,” said Kelley. “He has NEVER represented a criminal defendant, but has dedicated his entire legal career to prosecution.”

“As a father and a very proud grandfather, his experience, proven results and commitment have earned him the title of Assistant District Attorney of the Year,” said Kelley.

Wynne concluded by saying, “It is my distinct honor and privilege to present this year’s Assistant District Attorney of the Year to John B. Johnson, III, Chief Assistant District Attorney of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit.”