Defense Counsel Argues Victim’s Description of Defendant Doesn’t Match ID in Photo Array

Baltimore Courthouse

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A carjacking victim’s description of alleged suspect Antionne Johnson should be questioned, according to defense attorney Roland Harris, who told jurors on Dec. 17 that the victim’s description of his client to Baltimore Police did not match the victim’s identification of Johnson in a police photo array.

Johnson is currently on trial for attempted murder, assault, carjacking and various weapons charges for a shooting and carjacking that occurred in two separate locations on May 4, 2022. The defendant’s trial began with opening statements Tuesday morning before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Levi S. Zaslow.

During her opening statement, the prosecutor said that Johnson shot a 26-year-old man several times on the 2400 block of Greenmount Avenue around 11:05 a.m. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital in serious but stable condition. 

Johnson was also shot during this altercation, the prosecutor noted.

A short time later, she continued, the defendant carjacked a different victim who was in the drive-thru at a McDonald’s on the 2000 block of North Broadway. The victim, who was driving an Acura MDX, described the suspect as wearing a white tank top and blue jeans with braids in his hair. The victim also told police that the suspect was bleeding from his left armpit area.

Johnson was later arrested at his family’s home on the 2800 block of East Federal Street.

Not only were there no witnesses of the Greenmount Avenue shooting, Harris argued, but the carjacking victim’s description of Johnson changed between the victim’s police interview and his identification of Johnson in a photo array.

Harris suggested the jury keep the victim’s initial description of the defendant in mind when they see Johnson’s photo array picture at trial.

Following opening statements, testimony from Baltimore Police continued into Tuesday afternoon.

The trial is slated to continue on Dec. 18.