John Chiv: Mauricio's mother Melissa Johnson expected to enter guilty plea?

Apr 5, 2022

Mauricio's mother Melissa Johnson expected to enter guilty plea?

(Keener)

(Johnson)

Melissa Johnson and her co-defendant convicted sex offender Von Keener's preliminary hearing has been continued several times. Today, at least one of them is expected to have a resolution.

I just learned that Melissa Johnson is going to enter a guilty plea. She did. However, the plea was withdrawn. Preliminary hearing continued to 4/19 at request of defense.

Melissa Johnson and Von Keener are charged with unlawfully harboring, concealing, aiding Mauricio Johnson with intent that he may avoid arrest, trial, conviction and punishment for homicide.

Johnson is represented by Ms. Kathleen Bryson. Mr. Joe Judge represents Keener. He was not in court today and Ms. Bryson appeared for him.

Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees is the prosecutor for this case and was the prosecutor for the Mauricio Johnson case.

I spoke with Mr. Rees about the People v West. Mr. Rees gave a factual basis of the plea. Ms. Bryson argued Johnson didn't have full knowledge and pieced together what happened from other people. Mr. Rees asked Judge Kelly Neel to have Melissa Johnson clarify what she was pleading to; Johnson said she was pleading guilty but she is not guilty. You cannot do that in the United States and that is the People v West reference.

Melissa Johnson is the mother of Mauricio Johnson who resolved his Bear River triple homicide case in February. Mauricio Johnson pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and admitted three special allegations for use of a firearm causing death for the killings of Nikki Metcalf, Margarett Moon, and confidential minor victim Jane Doe.

Von Keener has 34 cases in the local court system.