Nashville Justice System Mistake Linked to Tragic Mississippi Murder Case

Nashville Clerk’s Mistake Blamed for Tragic Result in Mississippi

A Mississippi father is pointing fingers at Nashville’s justice system after his daughter’s death earlier this month. His daughter’s ex-boyfriend was released from a jail in Middle Tennessee and now stands accused of her murder.

The Tragic Murder Case

Bricen John Rivers, 23, is currently under arrest in connection with the murder of Lauren Johansen, 22. Both hailed from Saucier Mississippi and Hattiesburg Mississippi respectively, according to the Harrison County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Office. Johansen’s body was discovered in the trunk of a car in Gulfport, Mississippi, on July 3. Rivers was arrested later that day after a nine-hour manhunt that involved 55 officers from eight different agencies.

Robert Johansen, the victim’s father, holds the belief that his daughter’s death could have been prevented if there had been no legal oversights in Nashville. Rivers had been released on bond from a Nashville jail a little over a week before his arrest in Mississippi. He had been in custody since December, waiting to be tried on four charges, two of which were especially aggravated kidnapping. These charges stemmed from a violent attack on Lauren Johansen during the couple’s vacation in Nashville.

Legal Missteps

Records indicate multiple stipulations in a court order regarding Rivers’ release were not adhered to. According to Robert Johansen, these omissions allowed Rivers to leave Nashville, venture to Mississippi, and murder his daughter.

Davidson County Chief Deputy Criminal Court Clerk, Julius Sloss, admitted earlier this week that an error was made when his office did not properly share information with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office concerning Rivers’ manner of release. Rivers’ bonding company claimed they were not informed of the full conditions of his release, as the clerk neglected to provide them. The clerk retorted that it was the bonding company’s responsibility to understand the conditions and what’s being signed.

Troubled Release

Rivers’ release from jail was unsupervised, which is against court orders, and occurred later than scheduled. When picked up by a bonding agent on the same day, Rivers was driven to the wrong GPS monitoring company, a company that had only been established seven days prior. It was several days later when the monitoring company found out that Rivers was not permitted to leave Davidson County. By this time, Rivers had already left for Mississippi.

Rivers returned to Nashville on June 29 due to a problem with his ankle monitor; however, he didn’t stay long. By July 2, the battery on Rivers’ ankle monitor was dying, the last location tracked being in Biloxi, Mississippi. Despite the best efforts of the tracking company and bonding agents to locate him, they were unable to do so.

Johansen and Rivers’ Nashville Trip

The couple arrived in Nashville on Dec. 7. They visited the Frist Art Museum on Broadway and Topgolf near the Cumberland River before heading back to their Airbnb and later venturing out to a local bar to watch a football game. According to a Nashville Police Department arrest affidavit, Johansen revealed that Rivers accused her of sleeping with the bartender while at the bar, leading to a violent altercation. The aggressive attack on Johansen led to River’s arrest, and a grand jury in Davidson County later indicted him in April on several charges.

A Failed System

Robert Johansen deeply regrets placing his trust in the Nashville law enforcement, as he was assured Rivers would not be able to make bail and that he would be notified of any bond hearings. Unfortunately, his notification came too late. Johansen’s death has highlighted flaws in the legal system, shining a light on the urgent need for reform.

Remembering Lauren Johansen

Robert Johansen wants none to forget that his daughter was more than just a victim. Lauren Johansen had dreams of becoming a nurse practitioner and had plans to establish an animal rescue operation. Her father describes her as a genius with a heart of gold and an immense love for animals. Her untimely death is not just a loss to her loved ones, but also society at large.