On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, ABC13 reported that prosecutors have filed a motion to dismiss the driving while intoxicated (DWI) charges against Harris County District Judge Kelli Johnson, citing a lack of sufficient evidence. The motion, which is still pending approval from a judge, claims that no alcohol or drugs were detected in Johnson’s system at the time of her arrest.

Judge Johnson was taken into custody on June 25, after a Houston Police Department officer observed her making an improper turn from a center lane at the intersection of Hempstead Road and Kempwood Drive. The officer noted that Johnson was driving significantly below the speed limit, exhibiting slow movements and a lack of emotional response, as well as having dilated pupils. Following the traffic stop, police discovered two prescription pill bottles in her vehicle. Johnson reportedly acknowledged that she was taking duloxetine, an antidepressant.

This incident was not Judge Johnson’s first engagement with law enforcement. Records indicate that she had previously been stopped on April 12 for reckless driving and suspected intoxication. Body camera footage from that encounter revealed that although Johnson struggled with parts of a field sobriety test, deputies ultimately determined she had passed enough components to avoid arrest. She received only a warning for speeding during that encounter.

In the wake of her arrest, Johnson’s absence from court proceedings spanned most of May. Initially, Amanda Cain, the communications director for the Administrative Office of the District Courts, declined to comment on the situation. However, nine days later, she stated that Judge Johnson was out for personal matters. In the interim, Johnson’s cases have been reassigned to administrative judge Susan Brown and other visiting judges, though no specific timeline for this arrangement has been provided.

When pressed for more details regarding Johnson’s absence and a judicial complaint involving her court reporter, Cain reiterated the office’s no-comment stance. Nevertheless, Johnson’s attorneys issued a statement on Tuesday, clarifying that she has been on medical leave to recuperate from a brain injury and is expected to return to her judicial duties soon.

Judge Johnson has been a prominent figure in the Harris County court system, overseeing several high-profile trials, including the capital murder trials of A.J. Armstrong.

As the legal proceedings regarding the DWI charges unfold, the future of her judicial role remains uncertain until the motion to dismiss is officially ruled upon by the court.

 

 

Source: ABC13