Long Beach Woman Gets Life for Shooting, Leaving a Man Paralyzed

A 28-year-old woman was sentenced to life in prison today for shooting a man who was fighting with her boyfriend in a Long Beach alley, leaving the victim severely disabled.

Erica Johnson was sentenced by Long Beach Superior Court Judge Mark C. Kim to life in prison with the possibility of parole, plus 25 years to life.

Johnson, of Long Beach, was convicted last month of attempted murder for shooting then-19-year-old Mario Carr, who was found Dec. 27, 2011, in an alley near 10th Street and Ohio Avenue with a gunshot wound to the back of the head.

Deputy District Attorney Julian Recana said Carr, now 21 and also of Long Beach, can't walk or talk, and can only mumble. He uses a wheelchair and can't move his left hand.

During the trial, Carr -- who was in a coma for five months after the shooting -- testified by pressing buttons on a machine that allowed him to answer “yes,” “no” or “I don't know”' to attorneys' questions. His answers were displayed on a screen for jurors.

--City News Service