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Posey ordered to pay stepsons $2.7m
Civil judgment comes two years after dentist’s murder conviction
Friday, September 05, 2008
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3:10 p.m.The two stepsons of Napa dentist and convicted murderer Michael Posey have won a civil suit in which a Napa Superior Court judge ordered Posey to pay $2.73 million.

The money is to be divided equally between Michael Joseph Johnson and Cody Alan Johnson, now 20 and 19, who sued Posey for the wrongful death of their mother.
Two years ago, Posey was convicted of first-degree murder of the boys’ mother and his then estranged wife, Elizabeth Posey. Posey was sentenced to 29 years to life in prison.

On Wednesday, a Napa County jury in the civil trial determined Posey had been negligent in the incident in which Elizabeth Posey was shot at short range, and had caused the boys the loss of her companionship and love. The total judgment is  $2,727,921.
Elizabeth Posey was killed on April 19, 1996, after a domestic dispute at Michael Posey’s home on Maplewood Avenue in Napa.

At the time of Elizabeth Posey’s death, the Poseys were going through a divorce. Michael and Cody, along with the couples’ own two sons, who were then 3 and 1, were living with their mother in Cordelia.
Posey was interviewed that night at the Napa police station, but was not arrested. He continued to work in his Napa dental office and cared for the couples’ sons.

His arrest in April 2005 came after investigators brought forward new blood and ballistics evidence that did not square with Posey’s description of the dispute.

Posey steadily has maintained his innocence, saying he and his estranged were arguing over money and wrestling for control of the gun when it went off accidentally.

At his sentencing two years ago, he looked directly at Michael and Cody Johnson, who were in the courtroom, and said, “Mike, Cody, I did not murder your mother.”

Posey’s sons are living with his family members in the Bay Area. He is in the process of filing an appeal of his murder conviction.
14 comment(s)

steph wrote on Sep 5, 2008 5:02 PM:

" Another trial, another judgement against this man. I hope the next judge tosses his appeal out and that he won't cost taxpayers even MORE money. He's had his days in court. "

Dirty Napkin wrote on Sep 5, 2008 6:06 PM:

" Wow, what about the two other sons?? "

Joe wrote on Sep 5, 2008 9:18 PM:

" That's ridiculous that he was even convicted guilty. Did anyone prove that he did it beyond a reasonable doubt? She probably was the one that brought the gun out. If she didn't do that it wouldn't have happened. Guys need to be careful, a jury will see the female as the victim most of the time even if it was the female who was the one who caused the dispute. "

SouthNapa wrote on Sep 5, 2008 10:37 PM:

" It never ceases to amaze me how many people still defend this guy. Posey is in prison where he belongs. Posey's two sons with Elizabeth didn't sue, just Elizabeth's two sons that weren't Posey's. Good for them, they deserve every penny that he has! "

plepgeat wrote on Sep 6, 2008 12:07 AM:

" Um... Joe, it works like this - the prosecutors put forth evidence of guilt, and the jury decides if that evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. Since he was found guilty, the prosecution necessarily proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he did it. What did you think happened? Did the defense attorneys just sit there while the prosecution said "Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, he's guilty!" and then everyone say "HELL, yeah!" and they all went home?

Tried and convicted, and done. "

jwk wrote on Sep 6, 2008 3:08 AM:

" And Where might that kind of money come from? Didn't OJ prove you can't get blood out of a turnip? Or ever get what was awarded to you in court!!! "

NapaNana wrote on Sep 6, 2008 9:04 AM:

" Hmmm.....first post didn't make it. I guess I know why.
Mr. Posey was convicted by a Jury of his peers....beyond a reasonable doubt. It is too bad that some can not accept that.
I am glad the boys sued the pants off of him. Compensation can never be made for the death of their Mother, but it is a good slap in the face to Mr. Posey. It is too bad that the other two boys didn't sue as well. They too have been betrayed and hurt deeply. And it is not over for any of them anytime soon.
What gets me is that this guy can still sit there and play poor me with his pitiful little look......... Sociopathic????
Poor Posey....rot where you sit you yucky yucky man. "

jt wrote on Sep 6, 2008 11:50 AM:

" This guy wasn't letting the natural mystics guide him.

The guy became a slave to his bodies needs. If you care too much about money, power, and relationships with women you find yourself trapped in your body. The gun told the guy where to shoot. The body should have told the gun where not to shoot.

In a farblonget outrage the guy might have lost control. "

ambonizay wrote on Sep 6, 2008 12:01 PM:

" My tooth aches....let the dentist out.....the devil made him do it....in self defense.....( and apples grow on lemon trees) "

savenapa wrote on Sep 6, 2008 2:01 PM:

" jt: what the heck ??? Did you just come from a L Ron Hubbard circle? Maybe we should all tape a cryslal to our forehead and have a harmonic convergence with you and the earth goddess so we can corodinate to a compatable frequency. Scotty, beam us out of our body now because we are all trapped in here and we cant get out. "

jt wrote on Sep 6, 2008 7:08 PM:

" no. if blogger could be god. then let there be life baby. just messing with you. relax.. chill it. dawg. "

catsvet44 wrote on Sep 6, 2008 8:41 PM:

" Wake up Joe!! Where have you been? I agree with Steph and South Napa and NapaNana-Hooray for the Boys!! Let Posey rot where he is!! I am sick of him getting newspaper space. There is No way he could ever compensate his sons for his evil acts. This is a good slap in the face for this sociopath and murderer. I only hope and pray his genes fade away with Jeffrey and Thomas and Liz's genes dominate. God bless all four of the boys! He had his day in court and he lost! What more is there to say? He's not worth anyones time. This world is better off without him. "

Not from Napa wrote on Sep 11, 2008 2:04 PM:

" Hopefully I will never hear the name Mike Posey again. Mike & Cody wanted to send a message to him that their mother mattered, so did her life. And Posey being the person that he is was hit where it would hurt the most, his wallet. She died over money. And he doesn’t deserve to have any. And as far as Thomas & Jeffrey are concerned they will be taken care.
To “Catsvet44” please contact us about one of your blogs; we are interested in some things you said. The boys got one photo album only when she died. "

sammy wrote on Sep 14, 2008 8:05 PM:

" This photo is from the court trial two years ago.

I'm happy for the boys, and the message is clear, that their Mama mattered. Hugs to them, all of them.

Maybe now the house we lived in will sell and they will get that money. It was a lovely home and we created great memories in it with our large family. "

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