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By
Kerryn Ayers [former]
- April 22, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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Following a delay that lasted nearly one and a half hours, Darnell Johnson accepted a plea before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John A. Howard on April 18. Johnson was a late arrival after officers forgot to transport him to the courthouse.
Johnson, 28, was charged with conspiracy to commit attempted first-degree murder, armed robbery, and related conspiracy and firearm violations for allegedly acting as a getaway driver for Dionte Cain, 31, on April 2, 2024.
According to charging documents, the victim was getting ready to leave a parking lot located in the 5300 block of York Road when Johnson, driving a burgundy Acura MDX SUV with Cain in the passenger seat, pulled up near him. Area surveillance footage captured Cain exiting the Acura, approaching the driver side of the victim’s vehicle, and allegedly threatening to shoot and rob the victim. Responding officers located the victim suffering from gunshot wounds to his wrist and right thigh.
Johnson accepted the prosecution’s offer of 20 years, suspending all but 12, for firearm use in a violent crime, as well as a concurrent five years, suspending all but two, for having a handgun on his person. He will serve three years of supervised probation following completion of his sentence.
Cain previously rejected a plea of 30 years, suspending time served, and a three-year no contact order with the victim on Feb. 25. He is slated to reappear in court April 28 for a jury trial before Judge Howard.