Capital murder case possible, but not yet certain, for Euclid Avenue shooting suspect denied bond
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include courtroom testimony and interviews with the Chief Assistant District Attorney and Santoine Johnson’s defense attorney.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — This morning, court testimony suggested that Santoine Johnson and co-conspirator Michael Stone went to the backyard of a home on Euclid Avenue to purchase marijuana, but it turned into a robbery, News 5 has learned.
Sgt. Julius Nettles with the Mobile Police Department testified and stated that the facts surrounding this “chaotic” investigation could result in Johnson facing capital murder charges.
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The March 29 shootout on Euclid Avenue killed Michael Lane and Marvin Richardson, Jr., both age 40, and injured two others, as well as codefendant Michael Stone.
The shootout occurred at a backyard shed that was turned into a makeshift barber shop. The victims, Lane and Richardson, were there to get a haircut. Testimony revealed that the intended target was the barber cutting the hair.
“It was just an atrocious crime,” Chief Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Susman said. “It was completely unnecessary. You have truly innocent victims like every victim. But in this case, it seemed to be unrelated to anything else. It was just a horrific event.”
Nettles with MPD testified that after the shootout, investigators were able to recover several guns, one of which was a rifle, and more than 50-100 shots were fired.
According to Nettles, Johnson took his mother’s 2005 black Toyota Corolla and drove himself, Michael Stone, and Stone’s brother to the home on Euclid Avenue. Johnson and Stone reportedly put on black masks and then went to the shed, where an argument began.
He testified that one of the people inside the shed said someone yelled, “You think I’m playing?”
After that, shots were fired.
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During the shootout, Michael Stone was struck twice in the chest, and Johnson took him to the car, and they drove to University Hospital. That’s where, according to Nettles, Stone and his brother told MPD detectives that he was shot at first, so Stone and Johnson returned fire.
Stone’s brother, according to Nettles, never got out of the car and has not been charged with a crime.
Johnson’s defense attorney said that this might be a case of self-defense.
“I think that’s definitely possible that it is a self-defense situation,” said Johnson’s defense attorney, Christine Hernandez. “I’m not sure as far as the facts are at this point. All we have is what we’ve heard in the preliminary hearing.”
Testimony later revealed that Johnson’s parents turned him in to the Mobile Police Department.
When it was Johnson’s attorney’s turn to cross-examine Nettles, she asked if MPD had obtained a search warrant to search the car Johnson drove that day.
Nettles explained to Hernandez that the department doesn’t have the car, and they are unsure where it is.
“I don’t have the Corolla,” Hernandez said.
“And we don’t have the Corolla,” Nettles replied.
Hernandez questioned whether or not Johnson had a direct role in the shooting or shell casings that were found since no evidence came back showing her client’s DNA.
“The majority of the testimony came from a codefendant and someone that the MPD did not charge as a codefendant,” Hernandez said outside of the courtroom. “That was also present in comparing the two individuals that were one that was not charged and one that was charged. They’re very similarly situated.”
Nettles described the tragedy in late March as a “mass shooting” and the investigation as a “chaotic” one.
“Based on what I’ve seen and heard, it COULD qualify to be charged as a capital case,” Nettles said.
However, Chief Assistant DA Susman said it’s too quick to make that call.
There is a very deliberate procedure we have when considering that,” she explained. “And that’s sort of an internal issue.”
Prosecutors, attempting to show probable cause, brought up other incidents with Johnson. They had a Prichard Police officer testify about an incident in December where Johnson was involved in a shootout and then tried to flee from law enforcement.
They also brought up this disciplinary record from Vigor High School where they stated he had more than 50 disciplinaries on his record including fighting and physical aggression. Prosecutors also stated that Johnson had more than 100 absences from school.
Judge Spiro Cheriogotis ultimately denied bond, so now Hernandez said it’s time to work on her client’s defense.
“I have to respect the court’s decisions based on the evidence that he heard,” Hernandez said. “He made his call. And I’ll have to take whatever action that I deem appropriate from here on forward.”
Co-defendant Michael Stone is due in court next month.
ORIGINAL STORY:
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — A teenager accused in a deadly Mobile neighborhood shooting is ineligible for bond, a judge ruled.
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Last week, prosecutors hoped to keep Santoine Tyreek Johnson, 19, in jail without bond until his trial. Johnson is accused of being involved in a March 29 shooting that left two dead and three others injured.
Today, they got their wish, as Judge Spiro Cheriogotis denied Johnson bond under Aniah’s Law. The state law allows judges to deny bond for people accused of violent crimes.
Johnson faces two murder charges, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling, and four counts of robbery, according to reports.
Investigators have told WKRG News 5 that a truck pulled into the backyard of a home at Euclid Avenue and High Street; then, people allegedly got out of the truck and started shooting.
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Michael Lane and Marvin Richardson, both 40, were killed in the shooting.
Michael Terrell Stone, 19, has also been arrested in connection with the shooting.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
