On July 19, 2005, 19-year-old Private First Class LaVena Johnson, stationed in Iraq, stuck an M-16 rifle in her mouth and pulled the trigger. At least that’s what an Army medical examiner told her family.
The House Armed Services Committee announced Tuesday that the committee is looking into her death but said no decision has been made regarding a formal investigation.
Her father, John, a psychologist and motivational speaker, said, “She had a bullet entrance wound in the left side of her head, but LaVena was right-handed.” The bullet was never found and the young soldier looked as if she had been badly beaten.
Her mother, Linda, who spoke with her on the phone two days before she died, said, “She was her bubbly self. This wasn’t someone thinking of killing herself.”
Her father argues that the death investigation photos indicate that Johnson was “raped and murdered and that her body was dumped in a contractor’s tent and set afire”.
A spokeswoman for the House committee said she does not know when the committee will decide whether to open a formal investigation into Johnson’s death. For more information, visit lavenajohnson.com.
DR. CARSON HONORED
Dr. Benjamin S. Carson Sr. was recently announced as a recipient of this year’s Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. He and the other winners will be honored at a White House ceremony on June 19.
Be sure to check out Dr. Carson’s Black History Spotlight.
EX-OFFICIAL SUES NASCAR
Mauricia Grant is suing NASCAR for $225 million, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination.
Grant, who worked as a technical inspector from January 2005 until her termination, said, “I loved it. It was a great, exciting, adrenaline-filled job where I worked with fast cars and the best drivers in the world. But there was an ongoing daily pattern (of harassment). It was the nature of the people I worked with, the people who ran it, it trickled down from the top.”
Grant said she was referred to as “Nappy Headed Mo” and “Queen Sheba” by coworkers, was told she worked on “colored people time”, and was frightened by one official who routinely made references to the Ku Klux Klan.
Additionally, Grant was subjected to sexual advances from male co-workers and graphic and lewd jokes. Two of co-workers allegedly exposed themselves to her.
Her lawsuit lists 23 specific incidents of alleged sexual harassment and 34 specific incidents of alleged racial and gender discrimination between January 2005 and October 2007. An excerpt of Grant’s 40-page lawsuit is available on The Smoking Gun.
Oh, great here come the conspiracy theroist out of the woodworks. SMH.
My condolescences to the Johnson family.
theorists^^^^^
Queen Sheba??? the name sonds familiar cos i heared it int he the bible somewere.bt what does it mean nd what dey meen by coalling her by that??
I hope that the Johnson’s family gets to the bottom of their daughter’s untimely death. This is truly sad. Now what I want to know is why I have not heard any of this on the news! ?????????
NASCAR racist…NO WAY! The fallen soilders fam is in my prayers.
Yeah…the first story doesn’t quite add up
I had dinner with Dr. Carson back in February! He is as brilliant as youd expect him to be and a great speaker too.
Prayers to the solider family
Congrats to Dr. Carson
That is so sad that someone or somones raped, beat, and dumped that black soldier. i cannot imagine what her family’s going through. yay for dr. ben carson! i believe everything that woman says about NASCAR-I hope she gets paid well and rebounds from the emotional stress they caused her.
to #4, they were teasing her by calling her a random black persons name in stead of calling her by her name-it was a racist insult. like calling an asian male co-worker jackie chan for example. out of line.
queen sheba is an african queen from the bible btw
+ a real queen not just a random black person
SMH:
WHAT POST ARE YOU REFERRING TO CONCERNING “CONSPIRACY THEORIST/THEORIES”?
Uuuum..I personally don’t want any of my white coworkers calling me Queen Sheba. Race is a very touchy subject and white people, IMO, may try to laugh it off but for the most part it’s derogatory whe they make ANY color/race jokes. Don’t play with me.
@story 1
That is so sad…. That family has my prayers…. How does a left handed person shoot herself on the right side of the head????? Conspiracy theorist my a** … The raped, killed and burned her…. Thats not something you just make up, they had to send the body home and if it was that messed up Im sure the family wants some answers.
@story 2
Saw that on the news last night…Congrats….
@story 3
I need to know why and how people put up with stuff like that… How do you not snap and fukkkk somebody up…. If I’m at work and somebody calls me a nappy headed anything I’m going to try to rip thier tongue out… But then agian I guess she did it the right way… I would be broke and fired and she about to be rich!!!!!!! IM RICH BYTCH lol
Oh yes, ANGEL/J. DAKAR, as you can see I’m *NETWORKING*
I was wondering if it’s possible you could do a post about us wonderful African Americans career networking. This blog connects people from all over the world. I currently have a wonderful paying job and truthfully, I can’t complain. But I don’t feel like I’m being….., (how can I say this) basically this is NOT for me. I want a career where I can interact with persons of different cultural backgrounds and also that allows me to travel. Yea maybe my head is in the clouds but I want more. Because of my style of dress I’ve been told I should go into fashion/buyer/personal shopper but that’s not for me and besides, here in NYC, it’s not that simple. It’s very competitive and there’s a lot of ass kissing with no proper compensation (besides perks). Sooooo (sorry for rambling) can we have a post about us exchanging what some of the professionals in here know. Us black people who are about bigger and better things need to help put each other on. Thanks. Luv ya!
I apologize to all the other bloggers here for being off topic but I just didn’t know where to put that and I figured I’d do so with the most recent post.
My condolences to the family of this young woman/soldier. I swear there is never and compassion (or media coverage) when it involves black people.
Big up Dr. Carson.
Two thumbs up for Miss Grant.
That dosn’t suprise me about the Johnson death, I know alot of women in the service who say that women get raped and the service covers it up.
@14 the first post.
Story One: That’s sad. Did it take them 3yrs to decide if they were going to investigate.
Story Two: Dr. Carson worked on a girl from Aledo, TX yesterday removing half of her brain. Shout out to WFAA in Dallas announcing he was getting the award..
Story Three: I read about that yesterday on MSN.
Sad about the first story. The last story I wouldn’t doubt it with Nascar. She is about to get paid, I doubt $225 million. I would suspect single digits. LOL
My prayers go out to the Johnson family and I hope they get to the bottom of this. Is it true that if your family member commits suicide while in service that you receive none of their pay? I wonder if that’s what they are trying to do or maybe they are trying to cover up some very familiar people in the service by making people think she killed herself. If she shot herself in the mouth then why would she have an entrance wound on the left side of her head. Wouldn’t she have an exit wound? How come they can’t find the bullet, but they know for sure she did it to herself? Too many unanswered questions.
Congrats Dr. Carson.
I hope this young lady receives every cent and more for what they did to her. People need to realize that our race is just as talented and versatile as the next.
@12 She wasn’t a queen from Africa nor was her name Sheba, the bible never said what her name was. ” (1Ki 10:1, 2)
@19
That’s because women have no place in the service.
my condolences to the family of the u.s soldier
i always felt a blk person has NO business in iraq but hey we on our way to ridding racism in america- -Obama: “yes we can” (cough bullsh*t cough cough)
@fed up
Getting rid of racism? Please the thought of having a black president is nice and all but get your head out of the clouds. Don’t believe that if he becomes president then we’ll be rid of racism. please.
Hi JUDAH.. I would love to deliberate w/ you on some stuff one day.
@Judah I’m not trying to argue or attack you, because I really don’t care for the service. But I’m just curious as to why women have no business in the service. I’m just curious.
@seabreeze Thank You! People need to stop believing in this notion that Obama is going to change anything. All he is doing is just manipulating black people and it’s sad you all don’t see that.
I’ll pray that the Johnson family get the justice they need.
Nascar is full of rednecks.
Hmmm @ the Private… yeah sounds like a need for investigation esp if she is left-handed.
Congrats Carson!!
Nascar is such a racist spectator sport anyway, just as tennis was before Serena and Venus… we need to infiltrate Nascar now!! sue those clear people! lol…
I bet if she would of countered them calling her Queen Sheba by saying Okay Hitler she would of been sued….
@28
Hello sis.
@29
Women have no place in the army because it’s common sense. Why would a woman want to pick up a gun, run around, and throw hand grenades at people for? When we study the history of war, it is clear that rape is what soldiers do when they conquer a land and inhabit it. Why would a woman want to put herself in a position where she is in a strange foreign land, virtually lawless, and be left to the mercy of the indigenous men of that land or her fellow male soldiers. That’s not even taking into account that none of these wars that are waged in this day and age are just wars, so naturally the people that partake in them have a reprobate spirit.
OH MY GOODNESS!! I just read the entire 20 or so page document about the ex-nascar official and I am enraged and disgusted. I had no idea that she has over 50 different incidents of both racial and sexual harassment! Thanks for posting this CL!
@What
Numbers 31:17,18, Isaiah 13:16, Lamentations 5:11, Zechariah 14:2
Good Post J.D.!!!!
RIP L. Johnson
Congrats Dr. Carson!!!!
You better get that money M. Grant. I don’t care what race, background or gender you are! Nobody deserves that kind of treatment!!!!!
THIS IS ONE FUCKERY OF A MESS!!! JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED… MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE JOHNSON FAMILY….. I’M APPAULED THAT THEY DIDN’T GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS AT FIRST!!!
That is so unfortunate….Being ex-military myself, I can tell that I have seen a lot of “mysterious deaths.” The military trains you to be a killer of no limits, which means that it is easy to kill someone for every and any reason, even if that person is part of your own battalion.
That is so unfortunate….Being ex-military myself, I can tell that I have seen a lot of “mysterious deaths.” The military trains you to be a killer of no limits, which means that it is easy to kill someone for every and any reason, even if that person is part of your own battalion.
I don’t blame Ms Grant for trying to pauperize NASCAR….no one should have to work in such a hostile environment
@judah thank you for responding intelligently.
@ Judah #34
You ain’t never lied about that, brother. And the silly women who fought for that “right” are nothing shy of idiots. The whole women’s liberation movement was a joke in which we lost the things we should have kept, and gained things that we had no business having (i.e. the right to fight in combat).
WOW…This post is horrible (minus the honoring of Dr. Carson). So obviously (R.I.P.) LaVena Johnson’s case is a homicide and not a suicide. I mean come on, the facts seem to speak for themselves. As for Ms. Grant, that’s a shame what she had to put up with. I started reading the filed lawsuit and stopped 2 1/2 pages in because what she had to put up with IN 2008 is/was disgusting! “Why are the palms of your hands white”…are you serious?!
@What
I always respond to people based on how they come at me sis.
@CMEEZ
It’s ridiculous sis. The point was to sow dissension in the household.
Judah, I still do not understand your point on why women do not have a place in the service. I was in the Army for five years and the service is just not about gun toting, grenade carrying and killing. And who are you talking about when men conquer new land they rape women???? Please enlighten me….Also women have a vital role in Today’s military and I do not know to take your comments as sexist or what but I just don’t agree with them. One being because I have been a soldier deployed to Iraq for a year, and 2 because it just sounds acinine coming from someone who knows nothing about the military experience. As for this tragedy on Miss Johnson it is very sad, and hope that her family get some answers.
LOL!!!! Well put and what you said made plenty of sense.
*asinine*
mannnnn i dont wanna hear about no more deaths i was awaken today by my family members screaming and crying cause my cousin died this morning so im really heart over Lavena Johnson my condolences to her family…and that nascar drama has really pissed me off for the week
@Sha Boogie
Are you telling me that there are no women being raped in Iraq sis? Had it not been for Abu Ghraib you would probably have tried to deny the torture as well. No disrespect but I don’t take the word of anyone that puts on that uniform. Especially a black man or woman (especially man) that would fight for this country after what our people have endured. I’ve read numerous accounts not only of the rampant rape of women in Iraq, but also the rampant rape of men and children. I’ve also seen enough panhandling black men with army medals on them to know that the U.S. military cares nothing for it’s own soldiers. You should tell me what the purpose of having women in the military is. First off, the only regime that would have women in it’s military is a militarist regime because they need as many bodies as possible to maintain their armies and dominance by force across the globe. Be honest sis. I know cats that were in the armed forces. It’s racist as hell, you negroes stay to yourselves, and the women are virtual concubines.
BLACK PEOPLE DON’T BELONG IN THE MILITARY!
First of all, I am not your sis…I never said or denied the definciencies of the the Armed Forces. I was commenting on how you said that we have no place in the army and this rant you went on about women being raped after men conquering new land. Okay you know people that were in the ARMED FORCES, good for you! But have you stepped in the shoes of a soldier?No! And so your are telling me you don’t trust anyone in uniform. Do you mean just soldiers….cops….doctors……McDonalds workers. Give me a break What I can say is that I have personally never been raped or misguided in the years that I served in the army. I was in for a mission, (to pay for school) and just happened to get in right before 9-11. Did I know that I might have to fight for my country if needed, yes. And I did it because I was a soldier. I really do not want to get into a long back and forth conversation with you because you have your opinion and I have mines. And to get to the point of what are the roles of women in the armed forces, well there are pilots, admin, supply, doctors, communication, medics, aviations operations etc that play a role in the Armed Forces. We are not merely in to fill a slot, so please don’t go there with that. So Judah tell me where women belong, because I still dont get it. So I guess any male dominant profession, women do not belong in that field…..wow I thought this was 2008….LMBAO!!!!!
Uh oh here we go.
There are many stories of women being raped in the military and the military not protecting them and covering up the crime. Anybody remember that pregnant Army Woman that turned up dead after accusing someone of rape?
black people have no business in the military. r.i.p. lavena johnson
smh @ nascar
In the Johnson case, that sounds like a government cover up. Anytime you hear the government say someone is crazy or they commited suicide, a red flag should go up. They use those two excuses frequently. As for Ms. Grant, I’m not surprised at all. White people have always been racist and they still are. Some are just more subtle with it.
I should be fireball mad right now, but I’m not.
For the jackasses in the military, karma is a serious thing and I hope anyone that has anything to do with the death of that girl will burn on hell.
As for Nascar, that woman is truly a strong black woman. Either I would be dead or in jail over that because I clearly would have burned some shit down or stabbed whomever was too close.
Wow I love to see the comments of people who have never served.
First and for most regardless if she killed herself, her family will recieve full benfits. The only difference is if she killed herself she will not recieve 12 gun salute.
Two, the millitary dose not teach its solider to kill just anybody. Thats like say the police are trained to shoot at will. Lets stop blaming bad parenting on the millitary. The Army dosen’t make you a man or a woman. Your parents do that. Yes men are raping women and men are raping other men, but also women are raping men and women too. So as far as a womens place is bull. The Army is like any other job.
Lastly, I do not dispute thet Iraq is dangerous being I have complete to tours as well as duty in kuwait. We must put what we see on the news in context. People died for no reason everyday in America. People purposely steal and kill for reason being only because they too lazy to get out and do for themseleves. You can die just as easliy in Iraq as you can on MLK BLVD.
No matter how you feel about the war you should respect the Soldier who selflessly put their life on the line to help those in another country abtain the same rights that we as American take foregranted. Be they Male or Female.
# 43 JUDAH WROTE:
” @What – I always respond to people based on how they come at me sis.”
—————————————————-
That is not completely true Sir. No disrespect but I remember you ripped on me several months on a blog here at CL for simply agreeing with someone you disagreed with…you two were exchanging thoughts. The funny thing was I also approved of your comments however I first responded to the young lady you were speaking to. You responded so fast (before I could even reply to state my agreement with you) and basically clowned both of us, LOL. Just shut us down! It’s cool though. Everyone is entitled to your opinion but you do speak the truth. I hope you don’t take what I said personal but sometimes you do tend to talk down to people. Hey I could be wrong and if I am sorry.
—————————————————-
I give condolences for the family of the soldier and everyone affected by this event. I hope this story gets media coverage, justice for whom ever committed the crime and all questions being raised get answers.
Congratulations to Dr. Benjamin S. Carson Sr.
And good luck on that lawsuit again NASCAR Mauricia Grant. I knew that organization had issues with people of color. I hope she win all the funds she is requesting.
may lavena rest in peace
@55 I don’t believe there is a such thing as karma, however since you said it I’m going to go with it.
If karma is going to go around for those who killed this girl, then maybe karma came to her and that’s why she’s dead. I mean going by what you said, it’s logical isn’t it? I mean she is trained to kill or assist in killing people. 80% of them are innocent civilian. So if there is such thing as karma, then she had this coming right?
My mom is in the military, my boyfriend is in the military, and I have tons of friends in the military (and they are all African American). And for those who says that black people shouldn’t be in the military, should stop, take a look and compare the african americans in the military to those whom aren’t.. ANd im not saying that other people don’t have good jobs but, my mom is doing way better than her siblings, and other family members and we’re the ones they come to when they always need money. Don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of other professions where African Americans are well off, but don’t count the military out. Not to say that there aren’t instances where the military can be racist, or prove to be harsh, but every job comes with its pros and cons.