The former mistress of a man accused of trying to kill his wife in
their Center Line home took the witness stand Thursday and contradicted
key parts of his wife’s testimony the day before.
Varee Roberson of Pontiac, a Highland Park police officer, testified favorably for the prosecution Thursday in James H. Johnson’s attempted murder trial in Macomb County Circuit Court, stating a bullet fired by Johnson grazed the face of his then-wife, Vivian Johnson, last November.
That claim was contrary to Vivian Johnson’s testimony Wednesday that somewhat downplayed her then-husband’s actions. She said he didn’t point the gun toward her when he fired. She said he stood at the foot of their bed and she stood in a corner area between a dresser and a closet door when the bullet struck the side of the bedroom door.
But Roberson testified Vivian Johnson was near the bedroom door, not the dresser and closet.
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“She wasn’t over there,” near the corner, Roberson told Assistant Macomb County Prosecutor Darra Slanec while pointing to a diagram of the room. “She was in that area,” pointing to a spot a few feet away along the door frame.
During her testimony Vivian Johnson also denied she was covering up for her husband in response to a question by Slanec.
The incident occurred while the trio was arguing and Johnson and his wife were struggling over his cell phone between 7:30 and 8 p.m. Nov. 14, Roberson said. Vivian Johnson took the phone because she believed he was talking another mistress, she added.
“He grabbed the gun off the night stand,” Roberson said. “As soon as he grabbed the phone out of her hand, he fired the gun. He pointed it at her.”
Vivian Johnson laid on the floor, and Johnson pointed the gun at Roberson, according to Roberson.
“He said, ‘I’m going to kill you, too,” she said. “I was screaming and hollering. I said, ‘James don’t do this. Whatever is wrong we can fix this. … James put the gun down. I got a son.’ I kept saying, ‘I want to go home and see my son tonight.’
“I was crying. I was never so scared in my life.”
James Johnson then fled, she said.
Vivian Johnson used cotton balls to place rubbing alcohol on the facial wound, Roberson said.
“She was wiping the side of her face because the bullet grazed her face,” she said.
Vivian Johnson testified the bullet missed her by several feet.
After the incident, neither of the two women called police but contacted other people they both testified. Roberson called a Highland Park police officer who told her to leave, and Vivian Johnson said she called two people to tell them about the incident.
Roberson said the two women were amazed at what just happened and exchanged vulgarities, calling Johnson a “motherf------.”
“She was saying, ‘This is crazy s---. He just shot me,’” she said. “We were talking about how crazy this was, and that was bulls--- what he did. ‘This is crazy what he did.’”
Roberson admitted under intense questioning by Johnson’s defense attorney, Tim Barkovic, that she should have called 911.
“I didn’t call 911 but I called a Highland Park police officer who was working,” she said. “I was just thinking to call somebody. Was I wrong not to call 911? Yes. But it doesn’t excuse the fact of what he did.”
He also criticized her for staying at the home after the shooting.
She responded she was concerned about the emotions of everyone involved. “Maybe I didn’t do the right thing but I stayed,” she said.
She said Vivian then suggested the two women “go out.” Vivian Johnson testified she planned to go to her motorcycle club.
While getting ready, Roberson said the two women, who had engaged in a three-way sexual tryst with James Johnson last May, bathed together, although Vivian Johnson testified she declined Roberson’s offer to bathe. Both women said they had not been friendly since last June, shortly after the sexual encounter.
About 40 minutes after the shooting, Vivian Johnson entered her vehicle in their attached garage, but her then-husband moved his truck to block in her vehicle. He exited his truck carrying his handgun and yelled, “Where the f--- you all think you’re going?” Roberson said.
He pointed the gun at his wife, who ducked onto the front seat, while Roberson said she was standing in the garage talking on her phone to the same Highland Park officer.
“He (James Johnson) was telling her (his wife) to get out of the car, ‘I’m going to kill you,’” Roberson said.
Roberson said she pulled her handgun out of her purse. She pointed it at him.
“I said, ‘James, don’t make me do this,’” she said. “He said, f------ kill me.’ We’re pointing guns at each other.
“It seemed like forever but it was about three minutes.”
Two Center Line Public Safety officers arrived, she testified.
“They were yelling, ‘Drop the guns,’” she said. “I told them I was a police officer. I slowly put the gun on the very top of the car.”
She said James Johnson shoved her into the car and ran into the house.
He surrendered to police after a one-hour standoff.
The Johnsons have since divorced.
James Johnson, 33, a former Highland Park reserve police officer, is also charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and felony firearm.
The trial is scheduled to continue Friday in front of Judge Diane Druzinski.
Varee Roberson of Pontiac, a Highland Park police officer, testified favorably for the prosecution Thursday in James H. Johnson’s attempted murder trial in Macomb County Circuit Court, stating a bullet fired by Johnson grazed the face of his then-wife, Vivian Johnson, last November.
That claim was contrary to Vivian Johnson’s testimony Wednesday that somewhat downplayed her then-husband’s actions. She said he didn’t point the gun toward her when he fired. She said he stood at the foot of their bed and she stood in a corner area between a dresser and a closet door when the bullet struck the side of the bedroom door.
But Roberson testified Vivian Johnson was near the bedroom door, not the dresser and closet.
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“She wasn’t over there,” near the corner, Roberson told Assistant Macomb County Prosecutor Darra Slanec while pointing to a diagram of the room. “She was in that area,” pointing to a spot a few feet away along the door frame.
During her testimony Vivian Johnson also denied she was covering up for her husband in response to a question by Slanec.
The incident occurred while the trio was arguing and Johnson and his wife were struggling over his cell phone between 7:30 and 8 p.m. Nov. 14, Roberson said. Vivian Johnson took the phone because she believed he was talking another mistress, she added.
“He grabbed the gun off the night stand,” Roberson said. “As soon as he grabbed the phone out of her hand, he fired the gun. He pointed it at her.”
Vivian Johnson laid on the floor, and Johnson pointed the gun at Roberson, according to Roberson.
“He said, ‘I’m going to kill you, too,” she said. “I was screaming and hollering. I said, ‘James don’t do this. Whatever is wrong we can fix this. … James put the gun down. I got a son.’ I kept saying, ‘I want to go home and see my son tonight.’
“I was crying. I was never so scared in my life.”
James Johnson then fled, she said.
Vivian Johnson used cotton balls to place rubbing alcohol on the facial wound, Roberson said.
“She was wiping the side of her face because the bullet grazed her face,” she said.
Vivian Johnson testified the bullet missed her by several feet.
After the incident, neither of the two women called police but contacted other people they both testified. Roberson called a Highland Park police officer who told her to leave, and Vivian Johnson said she called two people to tell them about the incident.
Roberson said the two women were amazed at what just happened and exchanged vulgarities, calling Johnson a “motherf------.”
“She was saying, ‘This is crazy s---. He just shot me,’” she said. “We were talking about how crazy this was, and that was bulls--- what he did. ‘This is crazy what he did.’”
Roberson admitted under intense questioning by Johnson’s defense attorney, Tim Barkovic, that she should have called 911.
“I didn’t call 911 but I called a Highland Park police officer who was working,” she said. “I was just thinking to call somebody. Was I wrong not to call 911? Yes. But it doesn’t excuse the fact of what he did.”
He also criticized her for staying at the home after the shooting.
She responded she was concerned about the emotions of everyone involved. “Maybe I didn’t do the right thing but I stayed,” she said.
She said Vivian then suggested the two women “go out.” Vivian Johnson testified she planned to go to her motorcycle club.
While getting ready, Roberson said the two women, who had engaged in a three-way sexual tryst with James Johnson last May, bathed together, although Vivian Johnson testified she declined Roberson’s offer to bathe. Both women said they had not been friendly since last June, shortly after the sexual encounter.
About 40 minutes after the shooting, Vivian Johnson entered her vehicle in their attached garage, but her then-husband moved his truck to block in her vehicle. He exited his truck carrying his handgun and yelled, “Where the f--- you all think you’re going?” Roberson said.
He pointed the gun at his wife, who ducked onto the front seat, while Roberson said she was standing in the garage talking on her phone to the same Highland Park officer.
“He (James Johnson) was telling her (his wife) to get out of the car, ‘I’m going to kill you,’” Roberson said.
Roberson said she pulled her handgun out of her purse. She pointed it at him.
“I said, ‘James, don’t make me do this,’” she said. “He said, f------ kill me.’ We’re pointing guns at each other.
“It seemed like forever but it was about three minutes.”
Two Center Line Public Safety officers arrived, she testified.
“They were yelling, ‘Drop the guns,’” she said. “I told them I was a police officer. I slowly put the gun on the very top of the car.”
She said James Johnson shoved her into the car and ran into the house.
He surrendered to police after a one-hour standoff.
The Johnsons have since divorced.
James Johnson, 33, a former Highland Park reserve police officer, is also charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and felony firearm.
The trial is scheduled to continue Friday in front of Judge Diane Druzinski.
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