Cleamon Johnson

Case record: Cleamon Johnson

Background

Cleamon “Big Evil” Johnson was described by police detectives and FBI agents as the city’s most violent gang member. He was a leader in the violent street gang 89 Family Bloods.

Johnson was 29. He was known as a shot-caller in one of the city’s most notorious street gangs. Neighbors described him as helpful and nice.

Johnson used his privileges as a trustworthy inmate worker to intimidate witnesses against him. His orders were said to have penetrated prison walls, directing underlings to kill for him.

Johnson’s philosophy to police was:

“I don't answer to nobody. What I do is what I want to do and when I want to do it.”

The offence

Prosecutors said Johnson gave co-defendant Michael “Fat Rat” Allen an Uzi and ordered Allen to kill two rival gang members. Allen gunned the two men down before dozens of witnesses.

During the initial 1991 investigation, no one would admit having seen the shooting. The reason given was: “Testify against Big Evil, he'll kill you, police say.”

Police attributed more than 20 murders to Johnson. Prosecutors said conservatively Johnson had committed 12 murders.

The victims were Donald Ray Loggins and Payton Beroit, who were killed on Aug. 5, 1991. Loggins and his friend lived east of Central Avenue, described as a dividing line between Crips and Bloods.

A witness, Freddie Jelks, said he saw Johnson give Allen the Uzi used to kill Donald Ray Loggins and Payton Beroit on Aug. 5, 1991.

Investigation

A key prosecution witness, Freddie Jelks, was a member of Johnson’s 89 Family and was awaiting trial in another slaying. Jelks’s co-defendant was Johnson.

Prosecutors said they revived the case leading to the death penalty recommendation after finding three witnesses willing to talk. A source close to the investigation said the three were in custody facing criminal charges of their own.

Prosecutors also said Johnson had ordered the killing of Detective Thomas Mathew, and they played an audiotape for the jury. On the tape, Johnson ordered the killing of Mathew, prosecutors said.

The “most chilling moment” of the tape was described as follows:

“He's gonna be saying, 'Why me? Why me?,' ” That comment was followed by what another listener described as a “maniacal, bone-chilling laugh.”

Arrest

Johnson was in County Jail awaiting trial on a new murder case at the time.

Trial

Johnson and a co-defendant, Michael “Fat Rat” Allen, were found guilty Sept. 2. Allen was 25-year-old and was already serving 35 years to life for another murder.

A jury recommended Tuesday that they be put to death. As the clerk in Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charles Horon’s courtroom said the word “death,” the two men sat expressionless, as did Johnson’s parents and Allen’s wife in the spectator section.

Horon scheduled sentencing for Dec. 12, after the jury’s recommendation.

Quotes during trial

Homicide Det. Thomas Mathew of the Los Angeles Police Department said:

“He's the type of guy you can have an interesting, articulate conversation with--laugh with, joke with,”
“He'd be cool to you. And then you turn your back on him, and he'd blow your brains out.”

Mathew said:

“Even before the contract, I was always very aware whenever I was with Evil to be careful because I knew he would do me in a second,”
“He has beat us on so many cases, because no witnesses want to come forward.”

Mathew said:

“I can't even tell you the way he kills without any kind of emotion,”
“It's unbelievable. And he has this scary laugh. He personifies the term 'evil.' He would make a good candidate for an FBI behavioral profile. I'd like to see what some psychiatrist says about his mind.”

Deputy Dist. Atty. Jennifer Lentz Snyder said in her closing argument:

“Johnson terrorizes the neighborhood because he can, and he enjoys it,”

Prosecutor Snyder described Johnson and Allen as predators and described the audiotape moment as:

“The most chilling moment of the tape,”

Mathew said:

“He would brag to me about killing people, say it right to my face,”

Johnson’s defense tried to portray him as a victim of geography. Joe Orr, counsel for Johnson’s co-defendant, Michael “Fat Rat” Allen, said:

“Evil is a product of 89th and Central,”
“With his charm, there's no telling how far he could have gone. He was talented, but his abilities were diverted to the streets. If he had been raised in a different area, this would not have happened.”

Johnson’s parents refused to comment on their son other than to ask:

“Why does the press print those lies about him?”

Sentencing

Cleamon “Big Evil” Johnson was sentenced to death on December 12, 1997, along with co-defendant Michael “Fat Rat” Allen.

Appeals

No appeals were described.

Outcome

Johnson and Michael “Fat Rat” Allen were sentenced to death on December 12, 1997.

Aftermath

Authorities said the 89 Family Bloods included 80 members and were responsible for more than 60 slayings in the last decade. There were 32 killings on the gang’s turf—a quarter of a square mile—between 1993 and “last year,” described as a homicide rate nine times higher than the city’s at large. The gang claimed an area bounded by Central and Manchester avenues, Avalon Boulevard and 92nd Street.

Johnson once served three years on drug charges.

Two witnesses who testified against members of Johnson’s gang, the 89 Family Bloods, were both killed.

A neighborhood teenager, who identified himself only as Ya Ya, recalled that when his mother’s purse was stolen and she reported it to Johnson, “Within an hour, the purse was back.”

Bessie Dunn, 42, said:

“No one on this block would say a bad word about Evil,”
“He was that type of guy that if you had a bunch of groceries in the car, he'd help you unload them.”

Mathew said:

“no one in the neighborhood dares say anything bad about Johnson.”

Ricky Parker, Johnson’s older half brother, said:

“I always told him to get rid of that nickname,”
“Evil was a great street fighter,”
and that part of the problem leading to Big Evil’s downfall was Johnson’s nickname that tempted police to try to bring him down.

A woman who requested anonymity said:

“We'd have to hit the ground about four times a week with all the shootings,”
“But as far as {Johnson} and Michael, they were nice guys. I never saw them get ugly. They call them monsters, but I don't know that part of them.”

Other details

Johnson’s co-defendant Allen was described as already serving 35 years to life for another murder.

Freddie Jelks was awaiting trial in another slaying, and his co-defendant was Johnson.

Johnson’s parents were in court every day during the proceedings.

Johnson’s case described the contract aimed at Detective Thomas Mathew, and police said LAPD brass were concerned enough to have SWAT officers tag along with Mathew. Mathew said Johnson had once put out a contract on him:

“once put out a contract on Mathew, the detective said.”