Inmate’s plea deal clears fellow prisoner

Thursday, July 19, 2001 | 10:34 a.m.

An inmate noted for crazy courtroom antics stuck to his claim that a fellow inmate was innocent of a jailhouse murder attempt, and in District Court on Wednesday got the charges dismissed against his alleged co-conspirator as he took full blame.

Reginald Johnson, a convicted casino robber, turned down all plea bargains but the one he had offered -- that charges be dropped against death-row inmate Donte Johnson -- and then pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder and attempted murder in an incident where the two Clark County Detention Center inmates were accused of tossing another inmate over a second-story guard rail.

Reginald Johnson, 27, sought no concessions for himself and will be sentenced by Judge Nancy Saitta at 9 a.m. on Sept. 12. The two Johnsons are not related.

"It absolutely was a noble gesture, but, despite what I have read in the newspapers, my client has always been a perfect gentleman and an articulate individual," said Reginald Johnson's attorney, Gloria Navarro.

"He has always taken responsibility for his actions. He has always pleaded guilty. This would have been his first time going to trial."

Reginald Johnson sat at the defense table wearing his blue jail fatigues as Navarro, Donte Johnson's attorney Joseph Sciscento and Deputy District Attorney L.J. O'Neale selected a jury. Saitta had told Johnson he had a right to wear civilian clothing, but he refused. Donte Johnson wore civilian clothing.

Reginald Johnson has a history of animated courtroom actions. While awaiting trial on charges he robbed or tried to rob the Treasure Island three times, he threatened to kill a deputy district attorney. During sentencing in March he made sexually explicit suggestions to a prosecutor, threw a court file across a desk and laughed while watching himself shoot a security guard on videotape.

He was sentenced to 130 years.

On Wednesday, as the jury was more than half picked, another offer was made by the prosecution, which Donte Johnson, 23, turned down, proclaiming his innocence in the jail incident, where Oscar Irias, 31, was thrown from the jailhouse balcony in February and fell about 12 feet.

In the end, the district attorney's office accepted Reginald's offer, ending efforts to give Donte Johnson additional time behind bars -- and keep him there if he wins appeals to his multiple murder convictions. Attempts to reach O'Neale for comment were not successful.

According to jail officials, Irias was thrown over a 5-foot railing to the floor. Irias was treated at University Medical Center for arm injuries. He was sentenced to 12 to 30 months in prison in May after pleading guilty to lewdness with a minor under 14.

As part of Wednesday's plea bargain, the state agreed to dismiss with prejudice charges against Donte Johnson, whose real name is John L. White. That means the same charges cannot be refiled. At sentencing, the state retained the right to argue in favor of a habitual criminal enhancement that could ensure that Reginald Johnson never sees the light of freedom.