Trial set in 2005 punching death

YOUNGSTOWN — Lee Johnson Jr. will go to trial Aug. 11 on a murder charge in the punching death of a city woman in the fall of 2005, a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge has ruled.

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum made the ruling Friday after Johnson’s lawyer, Douglas Taylor, said Johnson wanted to enter what is known as an Alford plea, which is a plea of guilty without admitting guilt.

Johnson, 35, of Samuel Avenue is charged in the Oct. 23, 2005, death of Regina Miller, 28, of Forestview Avenue.

“This guy is not dictating anything to this court anymore ... I’m not going to have him play his game ... Let’s just try the case and find out if this guy committed the crime and let the chips fall where they may,” Judge Krichbaum said after rejecting the proposed plea.

The Johnson case returned to Judge Krichbaum when the 7th District Court of Appeals ruled Judge Krichbaum erred by refusing to let Johnson withdraw his guilty plea to the reduced charge of involuntary manslaughter. For that offense, the judge sent him to prison for 10 years, of which he has already served 2 1/2 years.

If he is convicted of the original murder charge, Johnson faces a possible life prison term, Judge Krichbaum said.