FOR
BALTIMORE CITY
208 THE CLARENCE M. MITCHELL, JR. COURTHOUSE
MEDIA ADVISORY
The jury acquitted co-defendant Anthony Davate Miles, 25, of the 400 block of Mt.
Holley St. of murder, but found him guilty of multiple assault charges. The jury convicted both
defendants of attempted armed carjacking charges in the 700 block of N. Payson St. The
attempted carjacking followed a traffic dispute that led to the murder of George Johnson, the
attempted murder of Avon Ball, and the shooting of an innocent bystander on July 6, 2007.
On July 6, 2007 George Johnson and Avon Ball, foster brothers who did not know the
defendants, were traveling in the 700 block of N. Payson St. to retrieve clothing items in a house
in that same block, when they were forced to turn their vehicle around due to a memorial block
party for a young child who was fatally injured by a vehicle days earlier. Although they turned
the vehicle around without incident, McFadden and Miles followed the vehicle’s occupants and
walked up the street to confront Avon Ball and George Johnson, the driver. Avon Ball’s infant
son was a passenger in the car.
Testimony at the trial showed that the accusations by McFadden and Miles escalated, as
they demanded the car with the child. Ball testified in the three-week trial that as he pleaded for
his life, his foster brother, George Johnson said, “shoot me”, at which point McFadden shot
Johnson four times as he ran up Payson St. and then pointed the gun at Ball, shooting him. Ball
suffered life-threatening injuries and has had major reconstruction surgery. Testimony also
revealed that McFadden shot an innocent bystander, a 17-year old girl and family friend, as he
chased his victims. Trial testimony also showed that after McFadden shot the victims he walked
over to Johnson and asked, “Is he dead yet?” and walked down the street polishing his gun with
his T-shirt. The State also presented evidence and testimony that McFadden attempted to thwart
the testimony of a State’s witness by sending a girlfriend to visit the mother of the witness to
convince her to have the witness change her testimony.
The jury deliberated about five hours after the State presented nearly a dozen witnesses in
a trial that lasted three weeks before the Honorable Charles Bernstein.
Judge Bernstein also praised the bond of love between brothers Avon Ball and George
Johnson, and said that it was similar to the US Marine Bond and worthy of commendation.
Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Shaffer of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.
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