Prosecution of Royal Farms Arena Shooter Moves to P.G. County

By Carly Schiller [former] - July 12, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Non-Fatal Shooting | Victims |

A homicide case and a non-fatal shooting case were heard in reception court on July 12 in courtroom 540C under Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn, despite being scheduled for courtroom 113M under Judge Melissa Copeland.

The homicide case against a Baltimore resident who allegedly shot and killed a man outside Royal Farms Arena last year will now be prosecuted in Prince George’s County due a conflict of interest.

Neither Judge Phinn, the prosecution, nor defense attorneys Nicholas Madiou, Deborah Levi, and Todd Oppenheim discussed the specifics behind the conflict of interest.

Calvin M. Stevens is charged with first-degree murder and firearm use in a violent crime for allegedly killing 20-year-old Khari Johnson on Jan. 15, 2020. 

According to the Baltimore Sun, Johnson was fatally shot outside Royal Farms Arena. Stevens, 29, who is a repeat violent offender, was arrested three weeks later.

Another case heard on Monday was that of Baltimore resident Joe Johnson, who faces 16 charges in connection to a shooting on Jan. 1, 2019.

Johnson, 27, is charged with attempted first and second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and conspiracy. He also faces seven weapons charges. 

He was offered a plea deal of life, suspending all but 25 years, with three years supervised probation, for attempted first-degree murder. Defense attorney Deborah Warner-Dennis rejected the plea on Johnson’s behalf. 

A motion to suppress evidence will be heard on Dec. 20, with the trial to immediately follow.