By Lucy Caulkett-
The family of Black Lives Matter activist, Sasha Johnson, who was shot in the head at a party, have made a fresh appeal for justice after the court case against four men accused of the shooting collapsed.
Four men charged with conspiracy to murder following an investigation into the shooting were told last week that they were free to go, all smiled when told they were free to go after the CPS admitted it did not have enough evidence to prove their guilt.
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The men had all the while insisted they were neither involved at the shooting nor anywhere near the party on the given day. Their denials or pleas of innocence offers no consolation to their parents who want to see justice emerge out of this sad and troubling event.
Prince Dixon, 25, of Gravesend, Kent; Cameron Deriggs, 18, of Lewisham; and Troy Reid, 20, and Devonte Brown, 19, both of Southwark, were all charged with conspiracy to murder.
They also denied charges of firearm possession with intent to endanger life. The case was due to go to trial on 7 March, but an Old Bailey hearing on Tuesday heard from the prosecution that the Crown would not be pursuing the case.
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The case against the four men was based on “circumstantial evidence”, and there was no direct evidence that identified any of them.
The court was told that the core evidence came from contact with each other, their movements and phone data, the court heard. Mr Heywood saying the Crown was “duty bound” to consider the tests within the prosecutors’ code that there is sufficient evidence to bring charges “with a realistic prospect of conviction” and that the case was in the public interest
Sasha Johnson, 28, has been in intensive care after suffering life-changing injuries when she was hit by a bullet whilst at a party in Peckham, south London, in May last year. Last week, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed it was unable to offer any evidence against them.
Speaking through tears, Ms Johnson’s heartbroken sister, Shakira Williams said: “We were left emotionally scarred and damaged on 23 May last year.”
Sasha lost an eye and currently has no movement down one side of her body as a result of the shooting which could have ended her life. Her survival itself was a miracle, but the trauma of watching her inanimate body confined to a hospital bed for no fault of hers is very painful for her family.
Ms Johnson, 28, is a founding member of the Taking The Initiative Party and had been a prominent figure in the Black Lives Matter movement. There was no suggestion that the shooting was targeted.
Her family for the first time published a harrowing picture of activist, whose life ahs been brought to a standstill s a result of the actions of a bunch of thugs whose grievances were unrelated to her.
At the Old Bailey last week, prosecutor Mark Heywood QC said a prosecution could not go ahead for reasons that could not be set out fully in open court. Her distraught family desperately want justice.
“We all got shot in the head and the pain has been so much at times it’s like we couldn’t breathe.”
“We are asking for justice for you. You always helped so many people, no matter their age, background or race.”
“You were there for people and would do anything to help. Now is the time for people to speak up for
A founding member of the Taking The Initiative Party, Ms Johnson had been a prominent figure in the Black Lives Matter movement.
A recently released picture of Johnson, shot in the head last May at a party in Peckham, south-east London. Photograph: Metropolitan police/PA
Emotional
In an emotional interview, Sasha’s mother Ellet Dalling said that she has been able to speak to her daughter in hospital.
“I told her she was going to be OK. She nodded her head at me, she squeezed my hand.”
Ms Dalling added: “Don’t let it happen to someone else again. Don’t go silent. These people that did this to Sasha need to come off the street.
“We need justice for Sasha. So please, I’m asking everyone at the party to come out and speak out for Sasha. We need justice.”
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