Defendant in West Fayette Street Murder Receives Life Sentence

By Hannah Rainer [former] - October 23, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Oct. 20, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Paul E. Alpert sentenced a defendant to life in prison in connection to the murder of 33-year-old Jameo McClean in 2021.

Jerome Jermey Johnson, 32, was found guilty of first-degree murder, armed robbery, attempted armed robbery in relation to McClean’s May 2021 death.

Prior to the hearing, defense attorney Andre Mahasa asked for a new trial saying the evidence in the case was heavily weighted against his client. Judge Alpert denied this motion. 

The prosecution described Johnson’s history of violent crime, robbery and his propensity to harm others as reasons he should serve first 25 years without possibility of parole.  

Following this, the prosecution called on McClean’s mother and aunt, to five victim impact statements.

“We have lost another family member to the same violence,” stated his aunt in reference to a cousin the family had lost to gun violence in North Carolina.   

McClean’s mother followed, saying, “There is no excuse for what was done to my son.”

Mahasa spoke to Johnson’s past, which he described as difficult and abusive. Nonetheless, Mahasa explained that Johnson had tried to turn his life around by earning his associate’s degree and keeping a full-time job. 

In a rambling statement Johnson wavered between denying responsibility and apologizing for his actions saying, “I maintain my innocence. I understand and apologize to the victims, to the family and for the pain they’re in.”

For first-degree murder, Judge Alpert sentenced Johnson to life with the first 25 years without the possibility of parole. The charges of armed robbery and attempted armed robbery were merged with the first-degree murder charge. Judge Alpert also recommended Johnson for the Patuxent Eligible Persons Program, which would allow him to receive six to 10 years of intensive rehabilitation treatment. 

According to documents from the District Court of Maryland, on May 31, 2021, Baltimore Police Department officers responded to a call of a shooting on the 1900 block of West Fayette Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered the victim lying on the floor in the basement of his residence with a gunshot wound to his head.

He was later pronounced dead at the scene after witnesses heard an argument with two individuals, then gunshots. Earlier that day, the victim was contacted by a man named ‘Steve,’ who came to the home with another individual. The two individuals then robbed and assaulted witnesses before fleeing the scene. Johnson was later positively identified as a suspect, and upon finding a DNA match between him and evidence at the crime scene, he was arrested for the crime.