Murder Case Closed after Defendant Dies Before Sentencing

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Four months after accepting a guilty plea for his stepfather’s murder, homicide defendant Cortez Johnson’s case was closed before his sentencing following his death.

The 22-year-old man was scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 10 in connection to the murder of Ivan Joseph Green, 38, on April 17, 2021, on the 1900 block of Braddish Avenue. However, his case was abated by death, according to Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Dana Middleton.

Johnson, who was represented by defense attorney James Scott, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and firearm use in a felony violent crime last September.