Three more teens charged in murder of 15-year-old over jacket

Three more teens were charged Monday afternoon with the murder of a 15-year-old boy over his jacket, while a fourth teen was ordered without bail held earlier in the day.

Cook County Criminal Court Judge James Brown ruled that Carlos Johnson, 17, be held without bail in the murder of 15-year-old Demario Bailey in front of his twin brother, Demacio, after a brief hearing at the George Leighton Criminal Courts Building.

Prosecutors said at the bond hearing Monday for Johnson that they do not believe at this time that he pulled the trigger in the shooting. The other three teens — Deafro Brakes and Isiah Penn, both 17, and Tarik Brakes, 16, each charged as adults in the murder — are expected to have bond hearings Tuesday.

As prosecutors outlined the case against Johnson, his mother and grandmother stood in the front row of the gallery but left afterward without talking to reporters.

Prosecutors say Johnson was involved in two armed robberies just minutes before the robbery that led to the murder of Bailey Saturday afternoon. Both of the earlier robberies occurred in a viaduct in at 150 W. 63rd St., Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Jamie Santini said in court.

In one of the earlier robberies, Johnson and another alleged thief stole a cell phone from a 17-year-old youth, Santini said. In the other robbery, a group of four to five people stole a cell phone, some cash and some earrings from a 33-year-old victim, Santini said.

After those robberies, Johnson and several others headed east into a viaduct at 20 W. 63rd St., Santini said. Demario and Demacio Bailey were also in the viaduct, heading to basketball practice at their school, Johnson College Prep.

“The offenders, while brandishing a loaded handgun, began to rifle through the victim’s pockets as they said, ‘Give it up,’” Santini said.

The Bailey brothers resisted Johnson and the other alleged robbers, and “a brief struggle ensued,” Santini said. “One of the offenders fired the loaded handgun at Demario Bailey, striking him in the chest just above his heart.”

Demacio Bailey ran after hearing the gunshot, Santini said.

“After reaching the end of the viaduct, the 15-year-old victim realized that his brother wasn’t with him and immediately returned to the viaduct,” Santini said. “He found his twin brother lying face up mortally wounded from a gunshot to the upper chest.”

At one point during Monday’s hearing, Judge Brown asked Santini if Johnson was the actual shooter.

“At this time, no,” Santini said.

And in arguing for bail, Johnson’s attorney, Mike Clancy, said prosecutors have no evidence that Johnson wielded a gun during any of the robberies.

“He was not the shooter in this case,” Clancy said.

Santini listed Johnson’s criminal history, all juvenile matters, including 2014 convictions for criminal trespass, possession of cannabis and theft. He’s also currently on probation for an unlawful use of a weapon conviction stemming from a 2013 charge, prosecutors say.

Prosecutors say CTA and other surveillance cameras show Johnson and the other alleged robbers entering the viaduct just before the murder and leaving it shortly after.