Parole board considered ‘casual and systemic racism’ while freeing armed robber

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“You and an accomplice went to a jewelry store (on Halifax’s Quinpool Road) armed with a gun and held a customer hostage while attempting to steal items. An employee escaped the store and managed to contact police,” said the decision.

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They later robbed a pawn shop in Lower Sackville, N.S., making off with $30,000 in jewelry in an incident in which the shop owner struggled with an armed accomplice of Johnson and a shotgun discharged into the floor.

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“You stole gold and fled in a vehicle. Police followed you and the vehicle went to a mall that had to be locked down due to an armed intruder protocol. You were later found.”

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Johnson is “a first-time federal offender of Indigenous and African Canadian descent,” said the decision.

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In its final assessment, the board considered “the casual and systemic racism and intergenerational traumas which impact Indigenous and Black people in Canada,” said the decision.

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“The board acknowledges that colonization, residential schooling, forced assimilation practices and racism and marginalization, have impacted your upbringing and how you interact with the criminal justice system. The board considers that it is clear that this history provides context for your criminality. Specifically, you have experienced family fragmentation, substance abuse, and have been the victim of violence. The board believes that your substance abuse, poor coping mechanisms, and poor emotions regulation, are linked to the trauma you and your family have experienced.”

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Since he was placed back behind bars this past spring, Johnson told the board that he’s been keeping to himself, “smudging, making dream catchers, and in touch with an Elder,” said the decision.

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While incarcerated, Johnson was caught “diverting” his methadone, said the decision, which means that instead of swallowing the prescribed medication used to treat opioid use disorder, he kept it to share, sell, or save.

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On top of that, Johnson’s jailers found a pill determined to be Wellbutrin, an antidepressant, in his cell.

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Johnson “also admitted to participating in a drone drop,” although he told the board that he “participated under threat of violence and did not consume any drugs related to the drone drop,” said the decision.

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For the first three months of his release on full parole, Johnson must live in a halfway house.

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He’s also supposed to avoid contact with his ex.

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Returning to a halfway house will allow Johnson to continue his parole “without posing a risk to society,” said the decision, which also authorized leave privileges for him.

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He also must “immediately report all sexual and non-sexual relationships and friendships with females” to his parole supervisor.

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