FORREST COUNTY, Miss. (WTVF) — A Mississippi judge denied Bricen Rivers his bond on Friday as he faces first-degree murder charges for the death of his ex-girlfriend Lauren Johansen.
This was Rivers' first court appearance in Forrest County, Mississippi, since he was transferred from the Harrison County Jail earlier this week.
Forrest County Sheriff’s deputies have said they have evidence to suggest Johansen was killed near her Forrest County home before her body was later discovered in Harrison County.
You can watch my latest on the Rivers' case in the player above.
Rivers faces one count of first-degree murder, one count of grand larceny, and one count of tampering with evidence in connection with Johansen’s death.
Judge Gay Polk-Payton denied bond on the murder charge but set bond for the other two charges at $20,000 each.
Lauren’s father, Dr. Lance Johansen, was in court to hear the bond decision and later told a reporter with the Hattiesburg Patriot News Media that he was pleased with the judge’s decision.
“I think that that's the appropriate decision. I think that the abilities of the court system here in this county are amazing compared to what happened before and I have 100% confidence that justice is going to be served,” Dr. Johansen said.
He told NewsChannel 5 Investigates several times he believed the Nashville criminal justice system failed his daughter.
Friday was the first time Dr. Johansen had seen Rivers since Lauren was killed, and he said while it was unpleasant seeing him, “these are things that we have to do.”
Dr. Johansen recalled the day medical examiners removed Lauren’s body from her car on July 3.
He went into graphic detail with reporters about what he saw and why he believes the only justice for Rivers is capital punishment.
“Electrocution or lethal injection. That’s what this man deserves. I can’t explain to you the beating this man did to my daughter. He beat her so badly that her skull and her face pretty much became fractured from the rest of her body,” Dr. Johansen said.
Dr. Johansen went on to serve a warning for others in abusive relationships and those watching their loved ones endure the abuse.
“If this is happening to any woman that is listening to what I’m telling them, get away from that person now and get help. You won’t be strong enough to do this on your own. You’ll have to have an advocate. You’ll have to have somebody to help you and somebody that can stand by your side when you have that urge to go back. You’ve got to say this is not right. You’ve got to stand up because if you don’t do something, nothing is going to happen. I wish I’d done more, and I’ve been kicking myself for weeks wishing I’d done more,” Dr. Johansen said.
Earlier this week, a six-judge panel requested an evidentiary hearing for Rivers’ Nashville bonding companies to present evidence on “irregularities” with Rivers’ release.
The hearing is scheduled for Aug. 15 in Nashville, where Brooke’s Bail Bonding and On Time Bonding are expected to explain Rivers' timeline from the day he was released on bond.
WHAT HAPPENED IN NASHVILLE?
Rivers and Johansen traveled to Nashville on vacation when their night turned violent in December. While the couple was leaving downtown, they got in the car where police said Rivers began hitting the victim as he was driving and took her phone. Rivers eventually stopped the car in a parking lot where the assault continued, causing her to almost lose consciousness.
"I suggest you cooperate and calm down. I literally scheduled marriage counseling for us. Do you realize that?" Rivers told Johansen to the noises of her trying to breathe. "Bite me bitch, I dare you."
From that night, Rivers was charged with two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated stalking and was later charged with witness coercion.
Photos of Johansen in the hospital showed dried blood caked into her blonde hairline, with so much of her hair stained red from the blood. One of her eyes was completely swollen shut with another only barely able to open. Her lips were battered and bruised.
Rivers made his bond in Nashville after Judge Cheryl Blackburn lowered the amount from $250,000 to $150,000 in April. Rivers later posted bond, but not before signing an amended bond order listing his conditions for release.
We know Rivers was supposed to be released to the custody of his bonding companies Brooke’s Bail Bonding or On Time Bonding, before they were to send Rivers to Tracking Solutions for a GPS device.
None of which happened.
Brooke Harlan of Brooke’s Bail Bonding has said this is why they never got a copy of the bail conditions, although her bonding agents signed the order detailing the conditions of Rivers' release.
Rivers walked out of jail on June 24 without any supervision, before he contacted Brooke’s Bail Bonding to install his GPS device.
By then, it was after hours, and Harlan said it was too late to take Rivers to Tracking Solutions.
Rivers told Wilhoite he was leaving for Mississippi, having already signed the bond conditions agreeing to remain in Davidson County.
Days after leaving jail, Mississippi authorities said they chased him from a car, where they found Johansen's dead body.
It's not clear what will happen with the case in Nashville, particularly in light of Rivers' GPS tracking system failing to notify the court he violated his bond agreement by leaving Davidson County.
