POUGHKEEPSIE – Roy Johnson, Jr., the 36-year-old parolee accused of gunning down a Long Island man in a Town of Poughkeepsie hotel on October 2, 2022, was back in court on Tuesday. A Huntley Hearing was scheduled before Dutchess County Court Judge Edward McLoughlin. Johnson’s appearance at the scheduled time was delayed because he was being transported from the Sing Sing Correctional Facility by state correction officers.
The Huntley Hearing was to decide whether the court is going to prohibit the prosecution from using statements made by Johnson at the time of his arrest against him at a trial. Criminal defense attorneys traditionally use Huntley Hearings to raise issues of whether or not the defendant was Mirandized (read his rights), was coerced in any way, or was given proper access to an attorney.
The Huntley Hearing was “determined to be unnecessary because both parties agreed that the statements were voluntarily made,” according to Dutchess County Senior Assistant District Attorney Kristine Whelan, who is prosecuting Johnson.
Johnson, who has denied being the gunman that killed a Long Island man in the Courtyard by Marriott hotel, is due back in court for a Sandoval Hearing before Judge McLoughlin on April 28th. A Sandoval Hearing is held to determine what prior acts, criminal behavior, or convictions can be presented by the prosecutors during the trial. Roy Johnson Jr. has spent time in prison after being convicted of robbery and burglary. In addition to the murder charge for the Courtyard death, he was recently charged with murder for the death of Darren Villani in Poughkeepsie last summer. He is also facing a felony robbery charge in that pending case.
