Convicted cop-killer Nikolaus Johnson may be on death row, but he’s still finding a way to communicate with the outside world using Facebook. Although Johnson is not allowed access to the internet inside the Nashville prison he currently calls home, through Facebook he is staying in touch with his family and friends.
“Inmates don’t have access to the internet,” Tennessee Department of Correction Communications Officer Dorinda Carter said. “We don’t allow them to go on the internet and post whatever they want. He’s likely talking to someone on the phone or by mail and they are posting the messages for him on Facebook.”
Nearly three years ago, a jury convicted Johnson of the 2004 killing of Bristol, TN police officer Mark Vance. Despite that murder conviction and subsequent death penalty sentence, Johnson has 232 Facebook friends.
“A lot of people love him,” Johnson’s mother Kathy Bunche said. “You can see that. They understand that the story that he is a monster can’t be right. Everybody knows that’s not the case.”
Johnson’s page includes pictures of him and his kids. It also contains several messages to his friends.
“Love you all!!!,” the unknown person controlling Johnson’s account posted February 18.
“Just want to let you all know in my Facebook family…All your emails and comments are keeping me strong! Thank you!,” another message read.
It appears with the help of others, Johnson created the account in August 2009. And he is not the first to use Facebook while behind bars. Friends of Gaile Owens created a Facebook page for the death row inmate. A Shelby County jury found Owens guilty of murder in 1986 after she hired someone to kill her husband. The Friends of Gaile Owens page has 485 Facebook friends.
“We are seeing a number of inmates who have either attorneys or friends in the free world who are accessing social media on their behalf,” Carter said. “Although they can’t do it, they are still getting messages out there.”
Although there is nothing illegal about indirectly using social media from the inside, Carter says people who become internet friends with inmates should be cautious.
“Most of the time, relationships that are formed are legitimate,” Carter said. “But we are talking about some people who are incarcerated who may take advantage of an innocent person in the free world.”
“Inmates don’t have access to the internet,” Tennessee Department of Correction Communications Officer Dorinda Carter said. “We don’t allow them to go on the internet and post whatever they want. He’s likely talking to someone on the phone or by mail and they are posting the messages for him on Facebook.”
Nearly three years ago, a jury convicted Johnson of the 2004 killing of Bristol, TN police officer Mark Vance. Despite that murder conviction and subsequent death penalty sentence, Johnson has 232 Facebook friends.
“A lot of people love him,” Johnson’s mother Kathy Bunche said. “You can see that. They understand that the story that he is a monster can’t be right. Everybody knows that’s not the case.”
Johnson’s page includes pictures of him and his kids. It also contains several messages to his friends.
“Love you all!!!,” the unknown person controlling Johnson’s account posted February 18.
“Just want to let you all know in my Facebook family…All your emails and comments are keeping me strong! Thank you!,” another message read.
It appears with the help of others, Johnson created the account in August 2009. And he is not the first to use Facebook while behind bars. Friends of Gaile Owens created a Facebook page for the death row inmate. A Shelby County jury found Owens guilty of murder in 1986 after she hired someone to kill her husband. The Friends of Gaile Owens page has 485 Facebook friends.
“We are seeing a number of inmates who have either attorneys or friends in the free world who are accessing social media on their behalf,” Carter said. “Although they can’t do it, they are still getting messages out there.”
Although there is nothing illegal about indirectly using social media from the inside, Carter says people who become internet friends with inmates should be cautious.
“Most of the time, relationships that are formed are legitimate,” Carter said. “But we are talking about some people who are incarcerated who may take advantage of an innocent person in the free world.”
