BORDERLAND

Convicted murderer’s new trial request denied

6/4/2014

Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Frederick McDonald has denied a motion by convicted murderer Jonathon Johnson seeking a new trial because of newly uncovered evidence.

Johnson, 24, of 1657 Vance St. was convicted Oct. 3 of murder, felonious assault, aggravated robbery, and carrying a concealed weapon following a jury trial for the Oct. 5, 2012, shooting death of Jonathan Morris, 22, at Ravine Park Village.

While defense attorneys argued that tips about the homicide received by the Crime Stopper hot line were not disclosed to them, the judge said he found “no reasonable probability exists that the results of the trial would have been different if the seven suppressed messages had been disclosed to the defendant prior to trial.”

Johnson was sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after 23 years. Co-defendants Andrew Goetz, 30, of 614 Earl St. and Chaz Jackson, 29, of 1158 Clark St. each pleaded guilty to robbery. Goetz was sentenced to six years and Jackson to four.