No Indictment for a Lufkin Police Officer

LUFKIN – A grand jury has no-billed a Lufkin police office in a fatal March 1st shooting. Killed was Epthen Lamont Johnson, 40, of Lufkin. Police said Johnson was on top of his victim, Jose Isabel Rodriguez Jr. attempting to cut his throat when Officer Robert Blake Witherspoon, a six year veteran officer, shot him. Authorities said the officer’s verbal commands were ignored when the officer took lethal action. Rodriguez was hospitalized with multiple injuries.

Witherspoon said he saw Johnson crouched on top of the man, stabbing and cutting at his head and neck. The officer gave multiple commands of “let me see your hands.” Johnson did not acknowledge the officer’s presence and continued stabbing at the man. Recognizing the signs of PCP intoxication, the officer did not believe a Taser would be an effective too in stopping the attack. The officer fired three shots, but Johnson continued making stabbing motions at the man’s throat. Believing the man was in mortal danger, the officer then fired a fourth shot ending the attack.

Witherspoon, who had been reassigned to the criminal investigations division pending grand jury per department policy, will return to patrol next week.

Since the officer’s body cam and in-car video is no longer considered evidence by the Angelina County District Attorney’s Office, the department is releasing that to the public. It can be viewed at https://www.dropbox.com/s/kotpomwdn6eer5e/Officer-involved%20shooting.mp4 or on the department’s Facebook page.