I am Shannon Johnson, your candidate for Calhoun Prosecuting Attorney. I have been a lawyer for 22 years, but 18 of those years have been focused solely in prosecution. I started my career off in Randolph County as an Assistant Prosecutor and returned home as Calhoun Prosecuting Attorney from 2013 to 2020. Since 2021, I have been furthering my skills as an Assistant Prosecutor in neighboring Clay County. Over the years, I have amassed an 85% conviction rate in jury trials. Because of that experience and the partnerships I’ve built with law enforcement, I am proud to be endorsed by the WV Troopers Association.
I have dedicated my whole career to public service. As your prosecutor, I will strive every day to uphold the Constitution and work to ensure a safe community for us here in Calhoun so we can keep our county moving forward. If re-elected as Calhoun Prosecutor, I will work hard to ensure that justice is not just an idea, but a reality for victims and their families. I have a special interest in protecting child victims. I am specially trained in forensic interviews of children, have taught numerous classes to other prosecutors on working with child victims, and serve on the WV Children’s Justice Task Force. Calhoun County became one of the first counties in the state to implement the Handle with Care protocol while I was Prosecutor.
I pledge to work side by side with law enforcement to fight the drug epidemic. Specifically, I want to focus on seizing drug money for the benefit of the county’s police agencies. During my service as Calhoun Prosecuting Attorney, law enforcement was able to seize over $6000, a Chevy Truck, and a .270 Rifle for the benefit of law enforcement efforts in combatting illegal drugs. In conjunction with those efforts, the Prosecutor’s Office was able to install Calming Corners in each county school to benefit students.
If elected, I would like to reinstate the Juvenile Pre-Trial Diversion Program. During my tenure as Calhoun Prosecutor, I worked closely with the schools, probation officer, and community service providers to identify students at risk of having a juvenile petition filed on them. Through our collaborations and early intervention, we were able to prevent dozens of juvenile petitions from being filed and get those students back on track in the classroom and at home.
Finally, we need to see more cases taken to trial. I have an 85% conviction rate and am not afraid to stand behind the cases law enforcement file in court.
I am born and raised in Calhoun County, the daughter of the late Randall and Sue Jones. They instilled in me a commitment to service, faith, and a strong work ethic. I bring those same values to my work as prosecutor. I am married to Jeremy Johnson, Principal at Arnoldsburg Elementary. We live in my childhood home with our dogs, Leah and Scout.
Being Calhoun Prosecutor was the best job I’ve ever had and it was a true honor to be elected by my fellow citizens. I’d love to get back home to work and serve the people of this county. I hope you feel I’m the best person for the job and I can have your vote. Thank you!
It cannot be overstated how important a dedicated, skilled, knowledgeable, ethical and respected Prosecutor is to the safety of this community. Having retired as a Prosecutor for 25 years and with 45 years in the practice of criminal law, I understand the power of the position and what it takes to serve the community and keep the citizens safe. The Prosecutor is the chief law enforcement officer in the community. No case gets before the Court unless brought by the Prosecutor. No defendant is required to stand before the Judge to face the consequences of their criminal conduct unless the case is brought by the Prosecutor. No victim is compensated for their loss nor do they get their day in court unless the Prosecutor decides to prosecute. Crime goes unpunished and victims continue to suffer unless the Prosecutor makes that choice.
During my career I served on the hiring committee for an office in a circuit of over 1 million citizens, and 100 prosecutors, responsible with the others on the committee with interviewing potential candidates to serve as prosecutors. I have had the experience of interviewing hundreds of candidates and I have seen every possible level of qualified and unqualified applicant. Everything I have seen about Shannon Johnson tells me that she has what it takes and will do what it takes to keep me and my neighbors safe.
The most important quality of a great Prosecutor is, without any exaggeration, CHARACTER.. People’s lives are at stake any time crime is involved. A Prosecutor must have the character to always do the right thing, no matter the consequences. If a Prosecutor has the intestinal fortitude, the “character” to always do the right thing for the right reason, then you and I will be safe in our homes. When a Prosecutor does not possess that quality, we are all at risk. Shannon Johnson has the character to be the Prosecutor we need in this community.
Recently, there was a report in this publication about the happenings in Circuit Court. I commented on it. It was reported, and unrefuted, that current Prosecutor Hicks announced to the Judge that he allowed an after hours phone call from a “staple of the community” to influence his decision on the prosecution of a defendant and a case. Forget about the nature of the case. It could have been a littering or a drug manufacturing case. It was announced by him, in court, that his decisions could be influenced, not by the case and the facts, but by after hours phone calls. That is shocking. Thankfully the Judge intervened and declined to accept the deal, recognizing that the evidence should decide the outcome, not an after hours phone call. I have yet to speak to anyone, and I have polled many of my former colleagues and members of this community and no one to date has believed that a Prosecutor would actually allow that type of contact to influence their decision. What about those defendants who don’t have Prosecutor Hicks’ after hours phone number? I suppose they don’t get a break?
I have no doubt, based on my knowledge of the history of her service to the public as a Prosecutor, her support and endorsement from the West Virginia Troopers Association, her service and volunteerism to this community in her role as a citizen and my conversations with her, that Shannon Johnson is who Calhoun County needs as Prosecutor. I have no doubt she will not allow after hour phone calls to influence her decisions. I have no doubt our community will be safer than it is currently.
Shannon Johnson’s platform stated above is exactly what a Prosecutor should ascribe to when filling the role. I would hire her without hesitation. I can no longer do that but I can vote for her! Shannon Johnson is what we need to ensure our safety. She has my vote.
I thought you might have been tired of reading but this is an important decision that will be made at the polls. A Prosecutor, above all else, must be a trial attorney. Ultimately cases are resolved before a jury not through plea bargains. I know. I tried over 50 jury trials in my first year as a prosecutor. If defendants know a Prosecutor will not go to trial, they will take advantage. If defendants know by demanding a trial the Prosecutor will drop charges or offer favorable deals, justice is not served. If law enforcement knows their case will be plea bargained, they will become disillusioned and lose trust in the Prosecutor. My last trial before retiring was prosecuting the double murder of a mother and her son, in their own home, by a juvenile family friend who called the mother “mom” and wanted to kill someone to see how it felt. A horrible crime with a traumatized mother/grandmother whose last years of life were spent living this crime. I pray nothing like this happens to this community or any other but, do you want a Prosecutor who, in an entire year has tried only one case and lost, or Shannon Johnson who is a trial attorney with an 85% success rate? Will you be comfortable with a plea bargainer or a trial attorney on trial day for a school bus accident? I pray someone you know or a family member was not on that bus but I suspect in this small community it is a small minority that was not involved in some way. Do you want a plea bargain or justice? I know my answer.
Have you ever been stopped for a traffic violation and the officer gave you a warning? That’s the equivalent of a pre-trial diversion. There are good people who mess up in a small way. It will never happen again. A trained and experienced Prosecutor recognizes the value as do law enforcement officers. As a supervisor in our office I implemented diversion programs and supervised mental health court, veteran’s court and drug court with the blessing of the Sheriff and every Police Chief in our county. These programs are valuable tools. Everything Shannon Johnson speaks about above as goals for her role as Prosecutor are exactly what this community needs.
I am not detailing my experience to beat my own drum. I am retired and I have had my moments. I don’t want any more. I do want a strong Prosecutor in this community where I chose to call my home in retirement. Shannon Johnson is that person. Shannon Johnson has what it takes. Shannon Johnson needs to be our Prosecutor.