‘His decency got him killed’: Mom shares details about her son, co-defendant in Holley case
By Infinite Scroll Enabled Lisa Robinson
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BALTIMORE, Maryland (WBAL) — There are new details about one of the men charged in the shooting of Officer Keona Holley and the shooting death that procced.
As of Tuesday, Elliot Knox still has a no-bail status. His attorney asked the judge to help get him moved out of Central Booking and into protective custody.
Meanwhile, the mother of victim, Justin Johnson, 38, has some revelations about his co-defendant.
“He was a decent guy and it got him killed. His decency got him killed,” said Justina Lawrence, Johnson’s mother.
The father of five was shot to death while sitting in his car on Lucia Avenue, about an hour after Holley was shot while sitting in her patrol car.
Police have charged Knox and Travon Shaw with first-degree attempted murder, and first-degree murder for the death of Johnson.
“We believe that they called Justin because there was no other reason for them to shoot him and he told them he wouldn’t help them and they killed him because he knew what they had done,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence said Shaw was Johnson’s friend and even went to Johnson’s house the day after the shooting.
“Before he got arrested and was playing with my son’s baby this is true playing with his baby and questioning his girlfriend, trying to find out what she knew, had the police been there, what did they say, how long were they there,” Johnson said.
According to charging documents, Knox agreed to talk to detectives. He told them Shaw was responsible for the Pennington Avenue shooting of Holley and “they” were responsible for shooting Johnson. Knox’s attorney is seeking protective custody for his client, based on allegations about his co-defendant.
Meanwhile, Lawrence said she doesn’t think her son’s alleged killer would be behind bars if it weren’t for Holley. She wants her son remembered as loved.
“He had the same struggles as other young Black men in Baltimore City. He was a laborer and did side jobs — as many jobs as he could find, had his run-ins with the law but he was trying to live a life that was upright and clean,” she said.
Johnson will be laid to rest Wednesday. Holley remains on life support at Shock Trauma.
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