Murder Defendant’s Hearing Continued Due to Assistant State’s Attorney’s Oversight

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On June 30, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland continued a reception court hearing to July 5 because the assistant state’s attorney was unaware of the scheduled hearing.

The prosecutor contended she had not been notified that the case was scheduled for a reception court hearing that Friday. Judge Copeland said that since the prosecutor had not responded to emails asking for available dates, the case was scheduled anyway to prevent the defendant from being “lost in the system.”

The assistant state’s attorney assigned to the case was not in a position to schedule a trial date in the case of Antionne Johnson because she had not yet contacted witnesses.

The 31-year-old defendant’s case was previously sent to mental health court but Johnson, represented by Roland Harris, was found competent to stand trial.

The Baltimore Police Department arrested and charged Johnson for a May 4 shooting of a 26-year-old victim on the 2400 block of Greenmount Avenue.

The Baltimore Police Department called Johnson “a repeat violent offender” after being found guilty of second-degree assault in 2019. He served five years for a 2015 conviction of second-degree assault and a weapons violation.

As stated on the Maryland Judiciary website, Johnson is charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime, discharging a firearm, armed carjacking, carjacking, theft valued between $1,500 and $25,000, two counts of possessing a firearm with a felony conviction, having a handgun on his person and having a handgun in his vehicle.

Johnson’s next hearing will be held on July 5 for scheduling.