Michael Maurice Johnson, who once faced trials for the death of Phylicia Barnes but was later acquitted, has been charged with rape and assault of a different young woman in Baltimore County. Johnson, at the age of 40, was charged on Monday with the aforementioned crimes and was ordered to be held without bail the subsequent day, as reported by CBS News.
The assault allegedly took place in Rosedale, and details of the charges include Johnson becoming enraged overheard a phone conversation and assaulting the victim throughout the night, which escalated to strangulation and rape, according to authorities. Overseeing the prosecution, court records, as detailed by WBAL-TV, describe the brutal nature of the attack where the victim was punched, choked to unconsciousness, and then sexually assaulted.
Johnson, a York, Pennsylvania resident, was previously acquitted after multiple trials related to the 2010 killing of Barnes. Phylicia, an honors student visiting family in Northwest Baltimore, was found dead in the Susquehanna River after her disappearance. Despite the accusations and a conviction that was overturned, he was acquitted in a controversial third trial in 2018. This information has been highlighted by a report from FOX Baltimore.
The recent allegations are based on the victim’s account provided to the Baltimore County Police Special Victims Unit. According to the victim, after an argument initiated by a conversation about a boy, she was strangled and sexually assaulted by Johnson. Found asleep in the bedroom by the responding officers, Johnson told them, as per WBAL-TV, that he and the victim had consumed drugs and had consensual sex the night before. However, officers noticed injuries consistent with the victim’s attempts to defend herself.
The investigation continues as Johnson, accused of murder in the case of Phylicia Barnes, now faces these unrelated charges. Not having an attorney listed in court records at the time of the charge, questions directed at him were not forthcoming after he sought legal representation. Updates are expected as the case develops.
