Prosecutor’s cyber girlfriend fears she will be murdered

ANDALUSIA, Ala. (WTVY) -Tears flowed from Jamie Connolly as she described finding Jesus, getting a job, reuniting with her estranged son, and turning her life around, only to have all that snatched away by unscrupulous law enforcement officers.

Connolly, who claims she is a police informant, testified on Tuesday that she would be killed if held in the Houston County Jail to await trial on a plethora of drug charges.

“They would find me hanging in my jail cell,” she told Covington County Circuit Judge Ben Bowden, apparently fearful that her death would appear as a suicide. She did not say who she believes would kill her.

Her vague accusations would have gone almost unnoticed if not for one detail--Connolly is the former online girlfriend of a prosecutor whose job is in jeopardy because of their relationship.

Her startling testimony came during a pretrial hearing in Andalusia.

“This is the first time my client has been heard. She was able to tell her story, that is what’s going on in Houston County,” her attorney, David Harrison, said afterwards.

Connolly claims drug task force officers framed her as she rebounded from drug addiction, but offered no evidence to support those claims.

“Her testimony was very good, she was very articulate, got her message across and was very believable,” Harrison told WTVY.

Connolly’s allegations are more significant because of her cyber love affair with Mark Johnson, the Houston County assistant district attorney initially assigned to prosecute her case.

Prosecutor off job indefinitely as investigation into online romance expands

After her early 2022 arrest, Connolly reported to judicial officials her online tryst with Johnson who was suspended in February , though he continues to draw his $7,300 monthly salary, per information provided by Alabama Open Checkbook.

It is not clear whether he knew Connolly was a defendant assigned to his courtroom because she altered her online identity, using the name Jazmine Connolly.

Facebook messages indicate their relationship began in October and quickly blossomed into sexually charged innuendo with plans to rendezvous, though Connolly admits the two never met in person.

Houston County District Attorney Pat Jones said about two years ago he investigated another complaint naming Johnson—one from a female witness---but found no evidence of wrongdoing.

Sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told WTVY that several other online relationships Johnson had with women have also been investigated.

Houston County District Attorney Office employees were interviewed, some multiple times, and Johnson’s electronic devices were seized, according to those with knowledge of the matter.

The FBI and Alabama Attorney General’s Office declined comment and there is no indication when the investigation will be completed.

Johnson potentially could lose his law license for ethical violations, even if he faces no criminal charges.

The AG’s office will prosecute Connolly’s Houston County cases, but also declined comment following Tuesday’s hearing.

Those cases are assigned to Judge Bowden because all five Houston County circuit judges recused to sidestep an appearance of impropriety because they have professional relationships with Johnson.

Jamie Connolly is currently jailed in Dale County, where she faces unrelated drug charges.

Copyright 2022 WTVY. All rights reserved.

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