Correction: Statement from Common Council President Sabrina Madison on the Death of Richard Lee Johnson

As a mother myself, I heard the pain in her voice during yesterday's press conference, and I have continued to think about her words. At the center of every report, every investigation, every statement, every video, and every public debate is a family that has lost someone they love.

Richard was someone's son, family member, friend, and loved one. His life had value, and his death has left behind pain that his loved ones will carry with them for years to come. 

Richard's arrest occurred in District 17, the district I represent on Madison's east side. His death also brings forward the broader circumstances that shape the lives of so many people in our community who struggle with housing instability.  

Homelessness is not simply the absence of housing. It impacts a person's ability to access consistent medical care, maintain employment, secure transportation, and experience the stability that many may take for granted.

I have found myself reflecting on how access to stable housing, quality health care, economic opportunity, and supportive services can alter the trajectory of a person's life, and whether greater stability might have prevented the circumstances that led to Richard's contact with law enforcement in the first place.

These are difficult questions, but they are questions we must be willing to ask.

Richard's life should not be diminished because he was experiencing a difficult chapter in his life. Every person deserves dignity, regardless of their housing status, or personal struggles. Our community's commitment to justice is measured not by how we treat people when they are thriving, but by how we treat them when they are most vulnerable.

As policymakers, we must also acknowledge the disproportionate impact that homelessness has on Black men. Too often, Black men are overrepresented in the very systems that signal community failure and underrepresented in the investments that create pathways to stability and success.

If we are serious about equity, then Black men must be prioritized in our funding decisions, policy discussions, housing strategies, workforce development efforts, health initiatives, and violence prevention work. Their lives matter not only when tragedy strikes, but in the policies, we choose to fund and advance every day.

I also believe that trust in our public institutions matters deeply. Families and community members must be able to trust that investigations are thorough, transparent, and credible. Without trust, healing becomes far more difficult.

As bell hooks wrote:

Healing requires people feeling seen and understood. It requires a willingness to share difficult truths, embrace vulnerability, and demonstrate care for those who are hurting. It requires a sense of belonging and participation in a community that values every person's humanity.

For Richard's family, healing cannot fully begin unless they believe their questions have been heard and taken seriously. For the broader community, healing requires confidence that our public institutions are willing to continually examine new information and respond accordingly.

That is why I strongly support an urgent review of the new information that has been presented and a careful review of the official cause and manner of Mr. Johnson's death. I also support an urgent review of the recommendations issued by the Office of the Independent Monitor. This may be an opportunity to advance new police procedures — focused on harm-reduction — that become standard statewide. 

I do not believe it is too much to ask that when new information emerges, our institutions move promptly to review it. Reexamining evidence, revisiting decisions, and improving processes should not be viewed as signs of weakness. They are signs of integrity. They are how trust is built and maintained.

Accountability is not about assigning blame for the sake of blame. It is about ensuring that we learn every possible lesson, improve every possible process, and do everything within our power to prevent future harm.

Whether those reviews ultimately affirm previous conclusions or identify opportunities for change, the community deserves confidence that every reasonable step has been taken to pursue the truth. Richard's family deserves that assurance. Our city deserves that assurance.

When institutions demonstrate a willingness to review new information, ask difficult questions, acknowledge any shortcomings, and improve processes where necessary, they strengthen public trust. That trust is essential to creating the conditions for healing, not only for Richard's family, but for a community seeking understanding and accountability.

At the end of the day, I think not only about the circumstances surrounding Richard's death, but about his life. I think about a mother who continues to grieve. I think about family members who will carry this loss with them forever. I think about the empty seat at family gatherings, the missed birthdays, the milestones that will never be shared, and the lasting impact that losing a loved one has on those left behind.

Please, honor Richard Lee Johnson's humanity, support his family as they seek answers. 

My thoughts remain with Richard's mother, his family, and all those grieving his loss.

Alder Sabrina Madison
President, Madison Common Council
District 17

Please contact Alder Madison with questions at district17@cityofmadison.com.