Days after the arrest of Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) and his wife on federal destruction of evidence charges, the senior pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Landover asked his congregation to pray for the Johnsons – while other residents are asking for a law to ease removal of elected officials prior to being convicted of a crime.

"I'm encouraging the members here to pray for the Johnsons. I pray that God will help them through this," Pastor Be Louis Colleton said during service Sunday. "From my standpoint, I can only say all of us have done wrong – to what extent, that's another story. We should not kick a person when they're down."

Jack Johnson is accused of accepting cash in return for helping a developer secure federal funding and conspiring with his wife, Leslie, to destroy evidence as Federal Bureau of Investigation agents knocked at the door of their Mitchellville home Friday. Johnson has said they are innocent of the charges.

Jack Johnson is on home detention and must be electronically monitored; Leslie Johnson, who was recently elected to the County Council and is expected to be sworn in next month, was released on her own recognizance. The Johnsons' preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Dec. 13.

Both are charged with tampering with a witness and evidence relating to the commission of a federal offense, and destruction, alteration and falsification of records in a federal investigation.

Patricia Myers, president of the Hillandale Gardens Citizens Association, said the Johnsons' arrest highlights the need for better laws to recall government officials accused of bad practices. She worked with local and state representatives in 2007 to see if there was a procedure to recall the county executive when Johnson and a few council members were criticized for using county credit cards for personal expenses. She was told there is no law that directly allows for the county executive to be recalled prior to being convicted of a crime.

"We had asked if there was a way we could recall him in 2007 because we could see the county was going in the wrong direction," Myers said. "Now it's a dead issue because he's going to be out of office, but three or four years ago, it might have been good to consider it."

According to state law, elected officials can be suspended from office if they are convicted of a crime or enter a plea of nolo contendere.

Del. Barbara A. Frush (D-Dist. 21) of Beltsville had pledged in 2007 to work on a law that would help recall corrupt officials. She could not be reached for comment Sunday.

The Johnsons are not members of Shiloh Baptist Church in Landover, but they frequently attend Sunday services at the church, said Deacon Larry Brownlee.

"We pray that God will bless him through the situation. We're not condemning him or putting him down. We're not accusing him," Brownlee said.

Many parishioners said they are withholding judgment.

"I just want to pray for the whole family," said Robin Brown, 55, of Upper Marlboro, a member of the church and an usher.

Parishioner and usher Herbert Broadnax, 65, of Landover said prayer and forgiveness for all people is what is most important.

"We pray for anyone, no matter what they've committed. They still have a right to forgiveness. We're not in a predicament to condemn anyone," Broadnax said.

eskalski@gazette.net