A deadlocked jury brought a sudden twist to a Charlotte murder trial Friday, prompting 22-year-old Derek Johnson Jr. to plead guilty to second-degree murder in the 2020 shooting death of Marcus Withers. Johnson accepted the reduced charge and received a prison sentence of 157 to 201 months, roughly 13 to 17 years.
According to WSOC, the plea came after a trial that started on Feb. 23 and ended when jurors told the court they could not reach a unanimous verdict. The case was prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Homicide Team, and the judge imposed the sentence from the bench.
What Happened In 2020
The shooting unfolded on June 10, 2020, in Charlotte’s Grier Heights neighborhood, where officers found 28-year-old Withers unresponsive in his backyard with multiple gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
As reported by WCCB, the killing occurred along Skyland Avenue near Randolph Road, and investigators initially appealed for witnesses as they opened a homicide investigation.
Evidence And Witness Statements
According to WSOC, investigators said they found a rifle and personal items belonging to Withers inside a shed in the backyard near where his body was discovered. Witnesses reported seeing a suspect running from the scene.
Witnesses also told investigators that Withers and Johnson had recently argued over who owned the rifle, and photos on Johnson’s phone showed him holding the weapon several weeks before the shooting. Johnson was detained a few hours after the killing following a report that he had been arguing with his brother over a firearm, according to coverage from the trial.
What The Plea Means
By pleading guilty to second-degree murder, Johnson avoided returning to trial on the original first-degree murder charge and accepted the sentence handed down Friday. The plea wraps up this phase of the homicide case, while leaving open any standard post-conviction options available to him.
Prosecutors said the matter was handled by the District Attorney’s Homicide Team, and the court record will formally reflect Johnson’s plea and his 157 to 201 month sentence.
