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Johnnie Turner (Kentucky politician)

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Johnnie Turner
Member of the Kentucky Senate
from the 29th district
In office
January 1, 2021 – October 22, 2024
Preceded byJohnny Ray Turner
Succeeded byVacant
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
from the 88th district
In office
January 1, 1999 – January 1, 2003
Preceded byThomas Pope
Succeeded byBill Farmer (redistricting)
Personal details
Born(1947-12-24)December 24, 1947
Bledsoe, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedOctober 22, 2024(2024-10-22) (aged 76)
Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationUnion College (BS)
University of Kentucky (JD)
Military service
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1967–1969

Johnnie Lloyd Turner (December 24, 1947 – October 22, 2024) was an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the Kentucky Senate from the 29th district. Elected in November 2020, he assumed office on January 1, 2021.

Early life and education

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Turner was born in Bledsoe, Kentucky, on Christmas Eve 1947. He attended Pine Mountain Settlement School as well as the Red Bird Mission School.[1] He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Union College (now Union Commonwealth University) in 1974 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1977.[1][2]

Career

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From 1967 to 1969, Turner served as a medic in the United States Army and was at one time stationed in the Panama Canal Zone.[1] He later worked as an attorney for Harlan County Public Schools. He also operated a private legal practice and was also an attorney for the city of Cumberland, Kentucky.[1]

Turner was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1998, defeating Democratic incumbent Thomas Pope. In the 2002 redistricting cycle, his district was eliminated and redrawn in Lexington. He instead ran for the Kentucky Senate, losing to Daniel Mongiardo.

He was a candidate for the Kentucky House of Representatives in 2016 but withdrew before the election. Turner was elected to the Kentucky Senate in November 2020 and assumed office on January 1, 2021.[3][4][5]

Death

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On September 15, 2024, Turner was critically injured after a lawn mower he was driving fell into an empty swimming pool at his home in Harlan.[6][7] He was then taken to Harlan ARH Hospital before being transferred out-of-state to Knoxville, Tennessee's UT Medical Center.[8][7][6] On October 22, Turner died from his injuries at 76 years of age.[9][10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "State Senator Johnnie L. Turner, Sr. Obituary 2024". Anderson-Laws Jones Funeral Home. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "Johnnie Turner's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  3. ^ "Johnnie Turner (Kentucky)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  4. ^ "Senator Johnnie Turner (R)". legislature.ky.gov. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  5. ^ Makres, Dakota (November 4, 2020). "Johnnie L. Turner leading Senator Johnny Ray Turner in State Senate District 29". wymt.com. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Press, Associated (September 16, 2024). "Lawmaker critically injured in lawn mower accident". WKYT. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "State Sen. Johnnie Turner dies following lawn mowing accident last month". Spectrum News. October 23, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  8. ^ Bertucci, Leo (October 23, 2024). "Johnnie Turner, Kentucky state senator, dies from lawn mower accident injuries". Louisville Courier Journal. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  9. ^ "State Senator Johnnie L. Turner dies". WKYT. October 22, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  10. ^ "KY Sen. Johnnie Turner dies after lawn mower accident last month in Harlan". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved October 24, 2024.