Activist group receives threatening calls from radio listeners

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Gene Apodaca
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(9/26/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- The man accused of killing HPD Officer Rodney Johnson -- 32-year-old Juan Quintero -- is an undocumented worker and shouldn't have even been in the United States. That has led to some taking aim at a local immigrants' rights group -- the League of United Latin American Citizens.

On Friday's Chris Baker Show on KTRH, the host criticized LULAC for not including Officer Johnson's name on a press release. What came out of that criticism has turned into quite a controversy that even Johnson's widow finds herself in the middle of.

Joslyn Johnson said only a few words at a news conference on Tuesday.

She said, "I felt compelled to come. It's in reference to my husband's death so I felt I needed to be here."

But Joslyn's message was loud and clear.

"Please stop the violence," Joslyn pleaded. "My husband would not want this. I don't want this. It's not going to resolve anything. It's not going to bring him back."

Houston Police Officer Rodney Johnson was killed Thursday. He was shot in the head during a routine traffic stop. The case is drawing national attention, after it was learned the suspect was an illegal immigrant.

A day after the murder, KTRH talk show host Chris Baker addressed the issue, urging his listeners to speak their minds about actions and inactions surrounding the death. But LULAC claims listeners did more than that. A 24-year-old receptionist who doesn't want to be identified took most the calls.

She told Eyewitness News, "The one that got me scared is the one -- the man said he was going to come and kick my a** and then shoot me."

"We can't let these talk show hosts divide us," said Rick Dovalina with LULAC. "It is imperative that we keep focus, that we grieve together."

In a statement from KTRH, the radio station's program director says, "At no time did Chris Baker encourage his listeners to incite or threaten violence. ... While our hosts are free to express their personal opinions about issues and events, KTRH does not take editorial positions."

HPD is currently investigating those alleged threatening calls.
(Copyright © 2006, KTRK-TV)

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