Johnson v. State

George Johnson, (“Appellant”), and Derrick Toomer were charged and tried separately for the contract killing of bail bondsman Ralph Hall. Mr. Hall was found early in the morning on July 30, 2008, lying dead from gunshot wounds in the parking lot of KIPP Harmony Academy, a public charter elementary school located in Baltimore City.

Appellant was tried before a jury in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City after his codefendant Toomer had been convicted of murder. The State attempted to present Toomer as a witness against Appellant, but when called before the jury to testify, Toomer refused to…