Jury convicts man in shooting of Virginia security officer
Williamsburg VA Sept 17 2017 A 23-year-old Williamsburg man faces up to 8 years in prison after being convicted Wednesday of shooting a security officer during a party near William & Mary last August.
After a three-day trial starting Monday, a jury convicted John Lee Johnson of malicious assault and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, according to online court records.
While the two charges carry a possible sentence of up to 23 years, the jury recommended a sentence of five years for the malicious wounding and three years for the use of a firearm, according to Williamsburg-James City County Commonwealth’s Attorney Nathan Green.
A circuit court judge also agreed to dismiss a charge of shooting into an occupied building or dwelling against Johnson after evidence was heard in the case, Green said. The shooting occurred in a breezeway at Tribe Square, outside The Crust restaurant, documents state.
“While we respect the jury’s decision, we are very disappointed in the verdict in this case,” defense attorney Patricia Nagel said Thursday. “Certainly, we expected an acquittal, given what the defense believes is a lack of evidence against Mr. Johnson. Therefore, we will file a motion to set aside the verdicts as being contrary to the law and evidence in the case. Should that motion be denied, surely Mr. Johnson will appeal. We believe there are a substantial number of issues that are ripe for appellate review.”
The altercation started between “two groups” attending a 100-plus-person birthday party on Aug. 27, 2016 at The Crust, located at 249 Richmond Road, according to Williamsburg Police.
The altercation started on the front patio of the restaurant around 1 a.m., but two security guards, including the victim, escorted the men out of party to separate locations.
Police have previously called the shooting gang-related, but prosecutors dropped the gang-related charges against Johnson and six other men believed to be involved in the incident.
At a Jan. 12 preliminary hearing, witnesses testified that one group of men moved to the sidewalk along Richmond Road, while the other group moved into the breezeway next to the restaurant. Moments later, after yelling between the groups, multiple shots were fired from within the breezeway, one striking a Crust security guard in the back.
The security officer survived, but was left with a bullet lodged in his back, near his spine. Another bullet was found in the wall of the breezeway, and there was a gash in the ceiling, which police believe was left by a third bullet.
In the days following the shooting, police arrested six men: Jamel John Young Jr., 24, Kajound Devante Johnson, 22, Eric Ronald Anthony James, 25, Dominique Lamar Wallace, 23, Malik Cory Brown, 28, and Travis David-Mark Campbell, 27.
All charges have been dropped or dismissed against the six men, according to court records.
During Johnson’s preliminary hearing in January, Judge Colleen Killilea dismissed four charges against Johnson, including two counts of shooting into an occupied building, use of a firearm to shoot into an occupied building and reckless discharge of a firearm.
Court documents filed by Nagel state that before the shooting, Johnson had no criminal convictions for either misdemeanors or felonies. In 2014, however, Johnson was accused of shooting a man in the abdomen in the 100 block of Merrimac Trail.
The case was dropped in January 2015 because the victim was uncooperative with prosecutors.
Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 29 at 9 a.m.
Williamsburg Yorktown Daily
