San Diego
A Lemon Grove man acquitted last week of murdering a teen-ager who he says had damaged his car will face a retrial on manslaughter charges next month, a judge ruled Thursday.
Last Friday, a San Diego Superior Court jury acquitted Leonard Johnson, 30, of first- and second-degree murder, but deadlocked 10-2 for conviction on manslaughter charges.
Johnson is accused of fatally stabbing Ty James Mullen, 18, of Lemon Grove, who he claimed attacked him after a dispute over damage to his car Oct. 24 last year. Judge Jesus Rodriguez scheduled the retrial for May 31.
At the request of defense attorney Terry Zimmerman, the judge lowered Johnson’s $350,000 bail to $50,000 because he no longer is facing murder charges.
The slaying took place at an apartment complex Mullen was visiting on Main Street, next door to the Lemon Grove Sheriff’s substation.
Johnson told deputies he stabbed Mullen because “he hit me in the face” in a dispute over Johnson’s car.
Johnson had previously worked as a security guard for Pinkerton’s. He has remained in County Jail downtown since his arrest.
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