The bail hearing for a Ewing man accused of gunning down Jermaine “Mooky” Johnson was moved to next week because an attorney said she was unable to represent him.
Jermaine "Mooky" Johnson (Facebook photo)
Caroline Turner, an attorney for 32-year-old Jamar McCoy, said it would be inappropriate for her to argue the Ewing man’s bail because she represents Johnson’s brother in another criminal matter.
Judge Peter Warshaw agreed to push back McCoy’s bail hearing until Monday. He is charged with murder and weapons offenses for allegedly gunning down Johnson, 26, on April 26, while he sat inside of a Nissan Murano parked in the driveway of a Hillcrest Avenue residence.
Johnson was shot at least five times and taken by ambulance to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
McCoy is also charged with aggravated assault for pistol-whipping Johnson’s brother after the shooting. It was not clear if he is the same man who is represented by Turner.
Johnson’s family members showed up to court wearing bright red memorial shirts, plastered with a picture of their slain relative and his nickname. The judge apologized to the family for the inconvenience and instructed attorneys to make sure they are prepared to address McCoy’s bail next week.
The public defender may need to tap a defense attorney outside of its office because of the conflict, Turner said. That decision rests with Jessica Lyons, the top public defender for Mercer County.
Jamar McCoy
McCoy remains jailed on $1 million bail.