Anniston Kmart Kidnapping trial continues

Calhoun County jurors learned Tuesday that a man accused of taking hostages at Kmart got a Kmart tattoo while in jail awaiting trial.

Anniston police arrested 53-year-old Gary Joe Johnson on September 3, 2010, after a three-hour standoff.  Johnson's charges include one count of robbery and two counts of kidnapping.

Evidence introduced Tuesday included a photo of Johnson's forearm tattoo, which says Kmart.  A corrections officer testified Johnson got the tattoo while in the Calhoun County Jail.

District attorney Brian McVeigh said Johnson went to the store to get drugs, specifically Oxycontin, which is a painkiller.  Prosecutors showed jurors surveillance video of Johnson entering the store wearing a red Alabama sweatshirt.

Johnson is accused of holding the knife to the neck of a pharmacy technician, and taking her and the pharmacist hostage.

Both of the victims testified Monday.  The pharmacist said Johnson demanded Oxycontin, but there wasn't any in the store.  The pharmacist testified Johnson asked him to put five tablets of oxycodone in his mouth, which he did.  He said Johnson also asked for other drugs which would kill him.

Defense attorneys claim Johnson was suicidal and planned on overdosing on the pills.  The pharmacist told investigators Johnson said he was going to leave the store dead, but the employees would be okay.

Johnson released the pharmacy technician after she fainted, and the pharmacist escaped after about two hours.  Anniston's Special Response Team negotiators convinced Johnson to surrender after about three hours.

  Johnson's attorneys said he wanted the drugs in order to die, due to struggles following his 2010 release from prison after serving seven years for manslaughter.  The conviction was in connection to a fatal motorcycle accident.

  Judge Bud Turner told the jury they would likely begin their deliberations Wednesday afternoon.

 Kmart closed its Anniston store in 2013.