An individual serving a 10-year sentence for the charge of manslaughter was recently adjudicated guilty and resentenced in Jones County Superior Court.
The resentencing of Darius Julius Johnson took place July 9, with the major significance of the action being the loss of his first offender status. Johnson was resentenced to 10 years for involuntary manslaughter, 12 months for reckless conduct and five years for theft by taking stolen property. The counts will run concurrently for a total of 10 years, and the sentence to be served on probation. Johnson will receive credit for time served in Bibb County from Oct. 31, 2024, through July 9 of this year.
Johnson’s first offender status was reportedly revoked due to violent offenses that took place in Bibb County.
The Georgia First Offender Act is a sentencing program that allows individuals without prior felony convictions to plead guilty without receiving a permanent criminal conviction. Upon successful completion of the sentence, the charges are dismissed and the record may be restricted.
The removal of the First Offender status means Johnson is now a convicted felon. A new law that took effect July 1 brings several changes to the program, involving information about the defendants opting to plea under the First Offender Act.
Johnson’s 2020 guilty plea
Johnson pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter as the result of the 2019 shooting death of a toddler.
Darius Julius Johnson entered the plea in Jones County Superior Court Oct. 30, 2020. The defendant served the first two years of the 10 years in confinement with the remainder of the sentence is to be served on probation.
The sentence states that the defendant may serve the confinement in the Jones County jail, and he is to receive credit for time served from his June 12, 2019 arrest.
A story about the shooting in The Jones County News story stated that the weapon involved in the shooting had been identified as a stolen gun.
Jones County Coroner Matt Jarrett reported that the toddler was pronounced deceased June 14, 2018, at Navicent Medical Center. He said the two-year-old had been on life support since the shooting.
Jones County Sheriff’s Department Investigator John Simmons said the shooting was reported about 3 p.m. June 12, 2019. He said when officers arrived at the address on Avalon Drive, they found that a two-year old had been shot in the head.
Simmons said the toddler and a five-year-old sibling had been playing with a gun prior to the shooting.
Capt. Jimmy Black said the 18-year-old Johnson was arrested and charged with reckless conduct and theft by receiving stolen property.
Simmons said Johnson told him he was asleep at the time of the shooting, and he told officers the gun must have fallen out of his pocket.
The investigator said it was later discovered that the gun had been stolen during a burglary at a Jones County residence in April.
In a follow up interview, Black said a 14-year-old juvenile was arrested June 13 for the burglary where the gun was stolen. The juvenile was charged with burglary, theft by taking firearm and possession of a firearm by a minor.
He added that the juvenile was a suspect in several local burglaries.
The captain said information about the juvenile developed during the questioning of Johnson.
