Wounded Defendant Faces Gun Charges

By Dana Beckwith - July 1, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

A gun charges defendant went before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Levi S. Zaslow for the start of his trial on June 26.

Jeffrey Nelson-Johnson is charged with firearm possession with a felony conviction, having a handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun on his person, firing and discharging a gun and illegal possession of ammunition. 

In opening statements, the prosecutor said officers received a call and a ShotSpotter alert at the 2200 block of North Fulton Street. When officers responded to the scene, they found the defendant suffering from a gunshot wound.

When questioned, the defendant claimed that he saw a shadowy figure before being shot. However, detectives did not find any weapons or ballistics but they allegedly found the defendant’s clothing. They were also able to obtain CCTV footage from the area indicating there was an object in Nelson-Johnson’s pants that looked like a handgun. Police concluded that he allegedly had a handgun which went off and he suffered a self-inflicted wound.  

In defense attorney Brandon Thornton’s opening statements, he claimed that Nelson-Johnson went to a store that was across the street from the sight of the shooting when he was unexpectedly shot. When later questioned by police, he would not say who shot him, suggesting to police he must have shot himself. 

The trial will continue during the following week.