Franklin Square Murder Suspect to be Tried in September

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A Baltimore man accused of a fatal shooting in June 2023 rejected a plea offer and received a jury trial date from Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland on June 30.

Kimani Johnson, 35, is charged with first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery, firearm use in a violent crime and related firearm and conspiracy violations. He is also prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions.

During the hearing, Johnson and defense attorney Roland Harris rejected a plea offer of life, suspending all but 50 years, for first-degree murder and a concurrent 14 years for attempted armed robbery. Following completion of his incarceration, Johnson would have been required to serve five years of supervised probation and register to the Maryland Gun Offender Registry.

According to charging documents, on June 16, 2023, at approximately 6:48 p.m., Western District officers were conducting routine patrol in Franklin Square when a man driving a light green Subaru pulled up and informed them his friend, 39-year-old Aaron Frantom, had been shot.

Investigations revealed the shooting occurred in the unit block of North Fulton Avenue. A witness advised he and Frantom parked their car there to make a phone call, but two Black males approached them and asked, “Do you like to party?”

One of the suspects then pulled out a handgun and shot Frantom. The witness drove away to find police.

Surveillance footage was recovered and reviewed, and several witnesses who conducted police interviews were able to identify Johnson as the fatal shooter.

Frantom succumbed to his injuries on Aug. 3, 2024. His cause of death was ruled a homicide by complications caused by a gunshot wound.

Johnson is slated to stand trial for three days before Judge LaZette Ringgold-Kirksey, beginning Sept. 10.