Disabled Man’s Attackers Sentenced

Citing the seriousness of the crime, a judge added jail terms Friday to sentences recommended by juries for two of four white men convicted of beating a mentally disabled black man and leaving him on a fire ant mound.

All four could have faced 10 years in prison on the original charges in the 2003 beating of Billy Ray Johnson, 44, who was found unconscious and now lives in a nursing home. But two of the men entered plea deals, and juries recommended suspended sentences, meaning no jail time, for the other two.

Judge Ralph K. Burgess invoked his right to add short jail terms for Christopher Amox, 20, who punched Johnson, and James Hicks, 26, a Cass County jailer at the time who helped hide Johnson at a tire dump. Both were convicted by juries.

Hicks received 10 years’ probation and 60 days behind bars. Amox got two years’ probation, a $4,000 fine and a 30-day jail sentence. The judge sentenced Dallas Stone, 19, and John Wesley “Wes” Owens, 22, to five years’ probation, a $2,000 fine and 30 days in jail. Stone and Owens entered guilty pleas.

Authorities said that Johnson, well-known around town as a friendly but “slow” character who loved dancing, was lured to an all-white pasture party in 2003 where underage drinkers gave him alcohol and picked on him.

Owens and Stone testified that Amox and Johnson were arguing about music when Amox told Johnson to leave.

Amox swung at Johnson, who fell and began gagging, according to testimony. The men loaded Johnson into a truck and drove to an old tire dump, where they left him on the ant hill.