Defendant’s Refusal to be in Court Threatens Delay in Shooting Trial

By Emily Reed [former] , Sofia Feigelson [former] - June 3, 2024
Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects |

A June 2 trial in DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo’s courtroom was delayed after the defendant originally refused to attend court due to an illness. However, he was transported back to court by a judge’s order.

Tyrone Astorias Johnson, 43, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault with significant bodily injury while armed for allegedly firing multiple shots at an individual. The shooting occurred on Aug. 30, 2022 at a park on the 1500 block of Maryland Avenue, NE.

According to the victim’s testimony, a Black male, later allegedly identified as Johnson, asked him for a cigarette, but the victim stated he did not have one. Consequently, the individual identified as Johnson began firing at the victim.

At the hearing, prior to jurors entering the courtroom, Judge Demeo addressed the parties with an update concerning the defendant. That morning, Johnson refused to get out of the bus that takes prisoners from the jail to the courthouse.

Judge Demeo ordered Johnson could not return to jail before meeting with his attorneys to discuss a voluntary absence from court. Johnson then cooperated,

Johnson’s defense attorney, Joseph Fay, expressed his surprise about the problem, stating that his client has always been “more pleasant to work with” than many of his other clients.

Fay stated that Johnson had a stomach bug the night before, had reportedly gone to the infirmary and not eaten since the night of May 30. A trash basket was placed next to Johnson and Judge Demeo told him that if he became too ill to continue, court would end for the day.

As the proceedings continued, a services manager for ShotSpotter, which monitors public safety with devices that detect “impulse sounds,” such as gunshots, was called to the stand.

The prosecution played audio recordings from four different sensors catching impulse sounds of what is believed to be gunshots on Aug. 23 and Aug. 30, 2020. 

In a previous hearing, the prosecution presented a 911 call from the defendant’s ex-girlfriend that occurred on Aug. 23, 2020. In the call, she’s heard telling a dispatcher that Johnson fired shots at her. However, when the ex-girlfriend testified, she stated she was never injured and never saw Johnson shoot a gun.

Prosecutors also called on a trauma surgeon at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, who testified to the injuries sustained by the victim and the subsequent treatment that followed. 

According to the surgeon’s report notes as shown by the prosecution, the victim suffered two gunshot wounds to the genitalia, two to the left groin, two to the outer right thigh, and two to the outer left thigh.

Additionally, the surgeon stated that she was concerned for the possibility of internal injury or bleeding, so the victim underwent chest and pelvic x-rays, as well as a CAT-scan, but no signs of hemorrhaging were found.

When asked about her interaction with the victim, the surgeon stated she had spoken with him while he was awake and discussed his pain scale. She did not recall how he felt, but testified that the victim “must have been in pain” because he was prescribed pain medications.

Parties will reconvene June 3.