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Guilty plea entered in New Year's Even 2013 killing
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Even after two days of negotiations, Larry Johnson seemed to be sure he wanted to go on trial for the New Year’s Eve 2013 slaying of his girlfriend.
That was until Judge Shirley Christian asked him in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on Friday if he understood he could be sentenced to life with no parole if convicted.
Johnson stared into space for several minutes before telling the judge he wanted to talk to his lawyer one more time.
After those talks, Johnson pleaded guilty to a charge of murder in the death of 26-year-old LaShea Parker in their Shelby Road home, averting a trial that was to begin Monday.
In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped charges of aggravated robbery and aggravated murder. The mandatory sentence is 15 years to life in prison.
Sentencing is set for 11 a.m. Monday.
Johnson is accused of beating and stabbing Parker in their home. Her body was discovered by neighbors who found Parker’s children outside in her yard in frigid weather with no winter coats on. She was the mother of four children, ages 1 to 7 at the time, who were there at the time their mother was murdered.
The two older children were questioned by detectives with workers from the Mahoning County Children Services Board present. They were expected to testify in the trial had the case gone forward.
Assistant prosecutors Jennifer McLaughlin and Martin Desmond met with defense attorney Lou DeFabio on Wednesday and discussed a plea, and Johnson refused. He refused again Friday, and a hearing took place to put his refusal on the record.
That’s when Judge Christian asked him if he understood what would happen if a jury convicted him of aggravated murder, where the maximum penalty is life in prison with no parole.
All told, attorneys negotiated about four hours Friday before the plea bargain was struck. Desmond conferred with Parker’s parents before Johnson entered his guilty plea in court.
DeFabio said his client had a hard choice to make.
“It’s a tough decision to make. This is a tough case,” DeFabio said.
As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed that when Johnson is up for parole, they will make no statements as long as he does not get convicted of another crime or have a record of violence in prison. That does not bind family members or others from speaking to the parole board, however.