Man on trial in 2015 murder throws water bottle, shouts expletives at judge

The Orleans Criminal District Courthouse on Tulane Avenue. ( |The Times-Picayune file photo)


A second-degree murder trial for a man accused in a 2015 homicide took a dramatic turn Wednesday (Dec. 5), as the defendant yelled a series of expletive-laden outbursts inside the courtroom, threw a water bottle at the judge and struggled with deputies as they tried to place him in handcuffs.

Shanta Massey, 25, was on trial in Criminal District Judge Paul Bonin’s courtroom, charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice in a Dec. 4, 2015, shooting that left Jeren Johnson dead.

Massey’s outbursts came about six hours into his trial. He walked out of Bonin’s chambers, where he’d been talking with the judge, his defense attorneys and prosecutors, and announced he was ready to go.

The jury was on a break at the time.

Massey continued to yell and said he was ready to leave as Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputies placed his ankles in shackles. He returned to the defense table, then threw a binder in the gallery toward a member of Johnson’s family who was leaving the courtroom.

Johnson’s family was escorted out of the courtroom, and defense attorneys Sean Collins and Stas Moroz moved for a mistrial based on Massey’s actions. Bonin denied their request after hearing testimony from an attorney and a deputy who witnessed the scene.

Johnson’s family was brought back into the courtroom, and Collins said he received a text message from his investigator that said she heard the jury discussing the case. It was later determined the investigator heard Johnson’s family discussing the case. Collins initially asked for a mistrial, which Bonin denied.

Massey walked toward the judge, and told Bonin he was not getting a fair trial. Massey became loud and animated, then yelled, “I’m going to die on your hands. I’m going to kill myself because of you.”

Bonin told Massey to sit down, and gave him five minutes to finish his outburst.

Massey continued to yell while standing at the defense table. A sheriff’s deputy had him in a bear hug.

Massey eventually sat, but continued to yell, and at one point cried.

Bonin said he would have Massey removed from the courtroom if he made any more outbursts.

“Do what you gotta do, sir,” Massey told him.

Collins raised questions about Massey’s competency, and said he was doing exactly what defense attorneys feared he would – decompensate under the stress of trial.

Bonin suggested Massey was “putting on a terrific performance,” which prompted Massey to stand up and throw a water bottle at the judge while shouting expletives.

Sheriff’s deputies surrounded Massey, and struggled to get him in handcuffs. The defense table was flipped, and Massey partially knocked over the railing that separates the front and back of the courtroom. Deputies handcuffed him as he was halfway over the railing and falling into a chair in the front row.

Collins asked for a mistrial again, suggesting moving forward after the events that just played out would be “absolutely insane.”

Bonin denied the motion, and brought the jury back in. Massey was not present.

Bonin said later that Massey’s attorneys did not previously raise any issues about Massey’s mental state possibly deteroriating during trial. He suggested Massey “had no difficulty understanding” what was happening when he threw a water bottle after his suggestion Massey was putting on a performance.

Bonin said Massey and the attorneys were in his chambers to discuss Massey pleading guilty to manslaughter and obstruction of justice in exchange for a 40-year sentence.

Bonin said Massey “became very agitated and bolted out of the chambers” when he questioned whether Massey was remorseful for his actions.

Johnson was killed in the front passenger seat of a two-door Nissan Altima during what attorneys said was a drug deal in Algiers. Massey was in the backseat, and another man was driving.

When shots rang out, Assistant District Attorney Mike Trummel said the man in the drivers’ seat hit the gas pedal, eventually crashing the Altima in a driveway a couple blocks away.

The driver was injured. Johnson, who was shot twice in the face, was pronounced dead at the scene. Massey fled. NOPD Sgt. Rob Barrere said Massey was arrested in Houston almost two years after the shooting.

Moroz said Massey fled because he was terrified and didn’t think police would give him a fair chance.

“They want you to believe Mr. Massey got into a two-door coupe with two drug dealers with no way of getting out in the back seat to try to kill Jeren Johnson,” Moroz told jurors in opening statements. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

Trummel said Massey went into that Dec. 4 meeting with the intent to rob Johnson and ended up shooting him twice.

Moroz said Massey was set up, as Johnson was looking for an easy target to make up for $600 of marijuana someone stole from him the night before. Massey fired a shot at Johnson from the back seat of the Altima in self defense, his attorneys said.

Massey’s trial is expected to continue Thursday. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Massey would be present.