Some charges likely to be dropped against defendant in off-campus shooting

YOUNGSTOWN — There will likely be changes coming to the charges filed against one of the two men initially arrested for the off-campus shooting that resulted in the death of Jamail Johnson.

Police arrested Braylon Rogers, 19, of East Lucius Avenue, and Columbus Jones Jr., 22, of Cambridge Avenue, just hours after the shooting. Each man has been charged with aggravated murder, 11 counts of felonious assault and improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation, but Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains said today the aggravated murder charge and assault charges against Rogers will likely be dropped.

Gains, at a press conference, said Rogers has already pleaded to illegal possession of a firearm in a bill of information.Police have arrested another man in connection with the shooting at a home off the campus of Youngstown State University used by members of a university fraternity.

Meanwhile, Brandon Carter, 22, of East Ravenwood Avenue, appeared before Magistrate Anthony Sertick of Youngstown Municipal Court for arraignment this morning. He is charged with felony obstruction of justice, a charge prosecutors say is related to the shooting that killed 25-year-old Jamail Johnson and wounded 11 others a little more than a week ago.

Reports say officers arrested Carter Friday afternoon at his East Ravenwood home as his family members used video recorders to record the arrest.

Prosecutors asked that Carter's bond be set high because of the connection to the high profile case. Magistrate Sertick ordered Carter held on a $75,000 bond.

For more on this story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com