Saturday, September 18, 1999
Man sentenced to 20 years for attack, burglary
Brother sent to death row one year ago
BY DAN HORN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Ronald Johnson followed his big brother to prison Friday.
Just one year after his brother was sent to death row for murder, Mr. Johnson was also sentenced for a violent crime.
Judge Ann Marie Tracey sent him to prison for 20 years for breaking into the home of a Norwood woman and slashing her face with a knife.
The judge said the 19-year-old seemed to have few regrets about his actions, other than getting caught.
“I have not seen any kind of remorse,” Judge Tracey said.
Prosecutors say Mr. Johnson climbed through the window of Pauline Baird's kitchen on May 25 and began ransacking the house.
But before he could grab anything more than some coins from a change jar, Mrs. Baird returned home from work.
Instead of leaving through the window, prosecutors say, Mr. Johnson hid behind a door and ambushed Mrs. Baird. They say he slashed her repeatedly on her face, neck and hands.
“He could have left the way he came,” said assistant prosecutor Seth Tieger. “He had a clear avenue of escape and he chose to stay.”
The judge convicted Mr. Johnson of attempted murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary last month after he pleaded no contest to the charges.
The plea came little more than a year after his brother, Rayshawn, was sent to death row for beating to death Shanon Marks, a Procter & Gamble Co. executive.
In that case, Rayshawn Johnson entered Mrs. Marks' home and beat her with a baseball bat while she was getting ready for work.
Ronald Johnson's attorney, Elizabeth Agar, said her client's family history and criminal record as a juvenile made it clear that he was at risk for trouble.
The tragedy, she said, is that no one was able to do anything about it before he attacked Mrs. Baird.
“Surely, if any child could be picked out for being at risk, Ronald Johnson is that child,” Ms. Agar said after the sentencing. “It's really very frustrating.”
Mrs. Baird told the judge it didn't matter what caused Mr. Johnson to commit the crime. She said she just wants him in prison for as long as possible.
“I barely made it,” said Mrs. Baird, the scars of the attack still visible on her neck. “I'll probably never get over what happened.”
When the judge asked Mr. Johnson if he had anything to say, he shook his head. When she told him it was his last chance to express remorse, he responded: “I do apologize.”
Mr. Johnson could have faced up to 46 years in prison, but two assault charges were eliminated because they were similar to the attempted murder charge.
Other than his attorney, no one spoke on Mr. Johnson's behalf.
His grandmother, who also attended Rayshawn Johnson's trial, left the courtroom without comment.
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