Man who sought mental health treatment gets 14 to 30 years in prison for Homewood beating death

The day before he beat a man to death in Pittsburgh’s Homewood in 2020, Marlon Johnson sought help for homicidal and suicidal tendencies at an area outpatient mental health treatment facility.

Instead of referring him for in-patient care, like he had received twice before, Johnson was allowed to leave soon after he had arrived — despite a finding that he had poor judgment, poor insight and poor impulse control.

The next day, at his cousin’s urging, Johnson beat Roger Brown, 63, to death.

On Tuesday, Johnson, 33, was ordered to serve 14 to 30 years in state prison for third-degree murder. His cousin, Madera Johnson, who also pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, will be sentenced at a later date. A plea agreement calls for a prison term of 12-1/2 to 30 years.

During Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Kevin G. Sasinoski allowed Marlon Johnson’s plea to be treated as a guilty-but-mentally-ill disposition, which will require the state Department of Corrections to place him in a facility that provides mental health treatment.

Pittsburgh police said Madera Johnson urged her cousin to attack Brown as he walked on Frankstown Avenue the afternoon of June 19, 2020. Video from the area showed both Johnsons kicking and punching Rogers until he fell to the ground.

A witness reported that the dispute began a week earlier when Madera Johnson stole $20 from Brown. When he saw her that day on the street, Brown used an expletive at her, prompting her to solicit her cousin to attack him.

Marlon Johnson was wearing heavy boots during the attack, said Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Ramaley. Brown suffered three skull fractures, as well as bleeding in his brain.

He died two days later.

His son, Samuel Miller-Brown, said in a victim-impact statement that he sat with his father for 12 hours after life support was removed prior to his death.

“That hurt,” he said.

Defense attorney Christopher Patarini told Sasinoski that Marlon Johnson has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had received treatment for it over the years.

Bizarre behavior by Johnson, including giving away his shoes to strangers based on religious beliefs, led to his previously being committed at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Patarini said.

After being hospitalized at Western Psych twice, on June 16, 2020, Johnson self-reported to Resolve Crisis Services in Wilkinsburg with aggressive tendencies, and homicidal and suicidal ideas, his attorney said.

He was discharged from Resolve, but returned two days later. Again, he was allowed to leave.

A message left with UPMC, which includes Resolve Crisis Services, was not immediately returned.