State V. Johnson



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[Cite as State v. Johnson, 2014-Ohio-2638.] 

Court of Appeals of Ohio

 

 

EIGHTH APPELLATE DISTRICT 



COUNTY OF CUYAHOGA 

  

 



JOURNAL ENTRY AND OPINION 

No.  99715 

  

 



 

STATE OF OHIO 

 

PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE 



 

vs. 


 

EDWARDLEE JOHNSON 

 

DEFENDANT-APPELLANT 



 

 

 



 

JUDGMENT: 

AFFIRMED


 

 

 



 

Criminal Appeal from the 

Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas 

Case No. CR-12-564315-B 

 

BEFORE:    Keough, J., Celebrezze, P.J., and E.A. Gallagher, J. 

 

RELEASED AND JOURNALIZED:   June 19, 2014 



 

 


 

 

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT 

 

Erin R. Flanagan 



1370 Ontario Street 

2000 Standard Building 

Cleveland, Ohio 44113 

 

Russell S. Bensing 



1370 Ontario Street 

1350 Standard Building 

Cleveland, Ohio 44113 

 

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE 

 

Timothy J. McGinty 



Cuyahoga County Prosecutor 

By: Jennifer L. O’Malley 

              Brent C. Kirvel 

Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys 

The Justice Center, 8th Floor 

1200 Ontario Street 

Cleveland, Ohio 44113 

 

 



 

 

 



 

 

 



 

 

 



 

 

 



 


KATHLEEN ANN KEOUGH, J.: 

{¶1}  In 2012, defendant-appellant, Edwardlee Johnson, was indicted for the 

murder of Carlos Coates.  He was charged with one count each of aggravated murder, 

murder, and two counts of felonious assault, with each count also containing a notice of 

prior conviction, repeat violent offender specifications and one- and three-year firearm 

specifications.  He was also charged with having a weapon while under disability.  

Johnson waived his right to a jury trial on the weapon while under disability count and the 

notice of prior conviction and repeat violent offender specifications.  The remaining 

counts and specifications were tried before the jury, where the following evidence was 

heard. 

{¶2}  Cleveland police officer Carma Crosby testified that she was working with 

officer Greg King in the early morning hours of June 12, 2012, when they responded to a 

call for females fighting in the area of East 169th, Grovewood, and Ozark Streets.    When 

they arrived, they were flagged down by a female, later identified as Dionne Green 

(“Green”), who told them her cousin had been shot.  The officers then called for EMS.  

According to Crosby, Green stated during her on-scene interview that either “Ed or 

Capone” shot her cousin.   

{¶3} Also responding to the call for females fighting was Cleveland police officer 

Edward Csoltko.    He testified he saw a male, who was identified as Carlos Coates, lying 

in the doorway of the house.  As he looked for shell casings around the house, Csoltko 



found a car key underneath the bushes in the front of the house that belonged to the Jeep 

parked in front of the house.   



{¶4} Homicide Detective Melvin Smith responded to a call for a male shot on East 

169th Street in Cleveland.  He testified that he spoke with the responding officers, 

investigated the scene, and conducted on-scene interviews with Green and Joe Fussell 

(“Fussell”).    As a result of those interviews, he learned the names of potential witnesses 

and suspects including, Tamera Coleman, “Capone,” “Ed,” and “Leon,” whose street 

name was “Light Skin.”     



{¶5}  After completing the investigation of the crime scene, he and partner, 

Detective Sandoval wanted to interview Peter Council, the owner of the Jeep Liberty that 

was parked at the crime scene.    While in route to speak with Council, Detective Sandoval 

received a call from “Capone,” whose real name is Miekal Gale.    They learned that Gale 

was at University Hospitals and wanted to speak with them. 

{¶6}  According to Detective Smith, Council was surprised to see homicide 

detectives at his door and that his vehicle was involved in any situation.    However, Smith 

testified that it appeared that Council already knew that his vehicle was not with Gale, 

who was the person he lent it to last.  As a result of the interview with Council, Smith 

learned Council received instructions by Gale to report the car stolen.  Smith further 

learned that both Gale and Tamera Coleman lived in the same apartment complex as 

Council.   



{¶7} After interviewing Council, they went to Gale and Coleman’s apartment and 

located Coleman.  Smith described Coleman’s appearance as being a “rough state of 

being, hair all over her head, somewhat intox[icated], and lethargic.”    Coleman indicated 

to Smith that she expected to see them and agreed to go down to the Justice Center for 

questioning.   

{¶8}   Smith testified that Coleman was dishonest with them during questioning, 

specifically that she did not know of anyone named “Ed.”    After Coleman was advised of 

her constitutional rights, she agreed to continue talking with them, but the interview was 

terminated because Coleman continued being dishonest with them; Coleman was arrested. 



{¶9}  About an hour later, Smith learned that Coleman wanted to speak to him 

again.    During this interview, Coleman stated she wanted to be honest and admitted that 

she knew “Ed,” and that she considered him as her brother because of his relationship 

with her deceased brother.  She further admitted that Gale was her live-in boyfriend, a 

fact which she previously denied. 

{¶10}  A few days after the interview with Green, Smith learned that “Light 

Skin’s” real name was Leon Howard.  He also learned that Fussell was not honest with 

him at the crime scene about his whereabouts that morning.  Smith further testified that 

Fussell, Howard, and Gale all avoided giving the detectives a formal statement, and when 

Gale finally met with detectives, he was uncooperative, and his attorney was present. 

{¶11} According to Smith, Howard was difficult to locate.    It was not until Smith 

learned that Howard’s father was a retired police officer and made contact with him were 




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