Kathy E <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: The supporters of Suzanne Johnson rallied behind her in court today, as her grown children and several of her former clients testified that she loved the children she cared for and would never abuse children. The proceedings began with Johnson herself returning to the stand to finish her cross-examination by the state. Prosecutor Eugenia Eyherabide jabbed at Johnson for lying repeatedly to police, suggesting to her that such lying must have required a lot of thought and strategy. Johnson once again said she was scared and confused, and did not know what she was thinking at the time. She noted that It ate her up inside to lie to police, but said she was feeling badly because she had not strapped Jasmine into her high chair. Johnson would not concede she ever got angry with children, only irritated. Eyherabide once again had Johnson demonstrate how she knocked the chair causing Jasmine to fall, then challenged Johnson about where the high chair tray was located. The place Johnson pointed out was different than in the police pictures, but Johnson said her boyfriend had later moved it when he fed another daycare child. In an emotional moment on redirect by the defense, Johnson's attorney, Marc Carlos, showed her a picture of Jasmine, and Johnson tearfully said she did not intend to hurt the little baby. Suzanne Johnson's son, David Johnson, testified and described his childhood growing up with a hard-working single mother whose husband had left when her children were young. David said that his mother always provided for her kids, even when it meant standing on welfare lines. He also said his mother was wonderful with children, including his own, and she influenced how he raised his children. In addition David never saw his mother hit a child except when she would give him a swat on the rear to discipline him when he was a child. The defense then called Camilla Honeycutt, a hairdresser, to cast doubt on the testimony of Crystal Miller, Jasmine Miller's mother. She told of how Crystal got a call from Johnson during one incident when she was in the hair salon. Crystal heard a baby screaming in the background and asked if it was Jasmine. Johnson apparently said it was, and Crystal went to pick her up. This contradicts Crystal's assertion that Johnson always told her everything was fine with the baby. (It should be noted that Honeycutt is less than an objective witness, since Crystal is suing her for a bad hair-do, and she is counter-suing Crystal.) Another witness, Rachel Hightower, who worked at a church Crystal and Travis had attended, testified that she spoke to Crystal after Jasmine died and offered to bring her food. Hightower found it strange that not only did Crystal take her up on it, but she cited a very specific list of what she wanted. Hightower also described the pain she went through when she lost her own child, as opposed to Crystal, who she apparently seemed calm and was not crying when Hightower visited her after Jasmine's death. Robert Blaylock, Suzanne Johnson's boyfriend, was a very loyal witness for the defense, saying that he fully believed in and trusted Johnson. He believed that Johnson is honest and that she lied to police only because she was under the tremendous stress of the event and the police interrogation. Johnson talked about how good she was with children and that he never saw her hit any of them or saw anything out of the ordinary. He thought Johnson treated the children like grandchildren and was shocked at this whole situation. Blaylock claimed that Johnson normally never became unglued when under stress and kept her composure. After Blaylock's testimony, various parents -- and even a child who was once under Johnson's care --testified in Johnson's defense. The child, a nine-year-old girl, felt very affectionate towards Johnson. She said that in her heart, Johnson was "gramma." Johnson never hit her, and she never saw Johnson hit any other child. This witness is the child who stopped by Johnson's place on the day of the incident when her friend was injured while riding a bicycle. She described how Johnson took care of her friend and said nothing seemed out of the ordinary at Johnson's daycare center that day. Deanne Cervantes said Johnson was a friend as well as a treasured daycare provider for her children. Cervantes said she dropped by Johnson's home frequently, and never saw anything disturbing. Her daughter loved Johnson and would use any excuse to go see her. She could never imagine Johnson doing what she's accused of. Other clients of Johnson such as Arthur and Susan Burdett and Julie Boykin supported Cervantes' portrayal of Johnson. Tomorrow, the defense will call its last two witnesses, Johnson's neighbor and her daughter, Cindy Vaughan. Then the state's rebuttal case will begin. Closings arguments could take place on Monday, April 6. -- Kathy E "I can only please one person a day, today is NOT your day, and tomorrow isn't looking too good for you either" http://members.delphi.com/kathylaw/ Law & Issues Mailing List http://pw1.netcom.com/~kathye/rodeo.html - Cowboy Histories http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/2990/law.htm Crime photo's Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
