New Orleans man found guilty of killing man who allegedly killed his children

NEW ORLEANS ( WGNO ) — After days of testimony, a jury found 49-year-old Bokio Johnson guilty of killing his children’s alleged killer, 21-year-old Hollis Carter, and wounding Carter’s mother.

The jury downgraded the charges against him from second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder to manslaughter and attempted manslaughter.

“All the evidence was circumstantial. That was established by both sides. That left the jury to infer what facts they needed to and manslaughter is what came down,” Johnson’s lawyer Michael Kennedy said.

Still, Johnson’s family felt he should have been completely exonerated.

“There is no justice in the justice system for black people,” Johnson’s family member Courtney Brown said.

Carter’s family felt the opposite, saying Johnson should have been found guilty of murder, not manslaughter.

“There are no winners here. Both families are suffering. Both families have lost loved ones. There was never going to be any verdict that satisfied everyone in this case, and we knew that going in,” Kennedy said.

“He should have been guilty as charged, but at least he’s not going home. He knew my nephew didn’t do that, but he didn’t give him his day in court,” Carter’s aunt Tamika Johnson said.

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