Nancy Grace: Activist deserves honors for role in 'Precious Doe' case
By Nancy Grace
CNN
Editor's Note: Nancy Grace appears on CNN.com's Law Center with an interactive column, "Seeking Justice." Her column appears in conjunction with her hour-long CNN Headline News program, "Nancy Grace," which runs at 8 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Grace invites a public dialogue. You can respond to her by sending comments to "Nancy Grace."
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(CNN) -- Last week, police in Kansas City, Missouri, announced that two people now stand charged in the murder of a beautiful little girl whom we knew only as "Precious Doe." (Background)
For the four years following the discovery of the remains of Precious Doe, she remained a nameless, faceless victim of violent crime. No identity could be made as the child was decapitated before her body was disposed of. We now know her name, Erica Michelle Marie Green, 3 years old at the time of her death. Her suffering, we will never know.
Little Erica was allegedly beaten brutally by her stepfather when she refused to go to bed. Police say Harrell Johnson confessed that while under the influence of alcohol and PCP, "angel dust," he became angry with Erica when she refused to go to bed, grabbed her, kicked her, and threw her to the floor kicking her.
There she lay in the house for two days. Local police say the couple carried Erica's body through a church parking lot and into the woods, where the stepfather allegedly cut the child's head off with hedge clippers.
Harrell Johnson and Michelle Johnson are each charged with one count of second-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child.
In the midst of this sorrow, a hero emerges. Had it not been for the actions of one man, Precious Doe would have remained forever anonymous, no face, no name, no justice.
The break in the Precious Doe mystery came from community activist Alonzo Washington, who worked long and hard to solve the case and seek justice for the young black girl so mistreated and so unloved. Washington continued to place ads begging for leads.
Then, the case turned on a dime. An Oklahoma man saw the ad and claimed to know the identity of Precious Doe and her killers.
There was nothing in it for Alonzo Washington; no fame, no glory, no promotion. Only justice. Mr. Washington represents what our court system needs the most, the burning desire to see justice done and the will to make it happen.
Mr. Washington, on behalf of violent crime victims everywhere, thank you.
Seeking justice,
Nancy Grace
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of Nancy Grace.
