HOUSTON -- A teenager had an outburst in court after he received the death penalty for the kidnapping, rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman, KPRC Local 2 reported Thursday.
Dexter Johnson, 19, was found guilty last week of the capital murder of Maria Sally Aparece.
When the verdict was read, Johnson began knocking down chairs before he was tackled by about a dozen courtroom officers, who ushered him out a side door. His mother was heard yelling, "Jesus to God" and "Calm down baby" during the bedlam that followed.
"He started moving toward (his) family and I think that was his response to that. I don't think the family moved towards him. I think they were just distraught and really upset and I think they were crying and the family just got up, and everybody moved at one time," defense attorney Anthony Osso said.
Two members of Johnson's family, an aunt and an uncle, fainted in the hallway and were taken to a local hospital.
Aparece's boyfriend, Huy Ngo, 17, was also killed in the crime spree last summer. Aparece and Ngo's bodies were found in an overgrown field in the 10400 block of Gateway Drive on June 23, 2006, five days after they disappeared.
Prosecutors said Johnson robbed, kidnapped, shot and raped Aparece. Johnson's attorneys claimed he was not the shooter.
Aparece's family said that although they do not believe in the death penalty, they believe the death sentence will help them reach closure.
Timothy Randle, 19, Alvie Butler, 25, Keithron Fields, 27, and Ashley Ervin, 17, were also arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the killings.
Johnson, Fields and Ervin were also charged in connection with Brady Davis' death on May 26, 2006. Davis was robbed, shot and killed at a northeast Houston car wash.
Previous Stories: - June 13, 2007: Verdict Reached In Couple Slaying Trial
- June 6, 2007: Interrogation Tapes Shown In Case Of Slain Couple
- June 5, 2007: Detectives Testify In Slain Couple Trial
- July 3, 2006: Murder Suspect's Mother Fears For Her Life
- June 28, 2006: Man Says Crime Spree Suspects Spared His Life
- June 27, 2006: Teen Charged In Crime Spree Says He's Not Guilty
- June 26, 2006: 5 Suspects Face 15 Capital Murder Charges
- June 23, 2006: Bodies Of Missing Woman, Teen Possibly Found
- June 22, 2006: Couple Disappears After Carjacking
- May 26, 2006: Retired Teacher Shot, Killed At Carwash
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