Witness to fatal shooting describes slaying in murder trial

Lakisha Brown testifies in Vanessa Cameron murder retrial

SAN ANTONIO – A co-defendant in the fatal shooting of a man who prosecutors said was killed in a murder-for-hire scheme testified Wednesday in the retrial of Vanessa Cameron, the victim's ex-girlfriend.

Lakisha Brown testified that she witnessed Samuel Johnson's murder on Jan. 13, 2010.

Brown said before her cousin, Bernard Brown, shot Johnson nine times, he explained to Johnson why he was killing him.

"He said, 'This is what you get. That's what Vanessa wanted, so that's what I'm doing now,'" Lakisha Brown testified.

Lakisha Brown pleaded guilty to her role in the murder, and as part of a plea agreement, she is serving a 25-year prison sentence.

Bernard Brown was found not guilty, claiming that he had been framed.

Cameron was convicted in 2012 in Johnson's murder and was sentenced to 70 years in prison. Her conviction was later overturned, and a new trial was ordered.

At the time of his death, Johnson was working for VIA Metropolitan Transit.

An executive for VIA testified that on the day Johnson's body was found, Cameron visited the company's office.

"She had questions about the benefits Mr. Johnson had, whether or not he had life insurance and if she was the beneficiary," Cathy Schnitzer testified.

Schnitzer characterized the inquiry as "unusual and out of the ordinary" and said VIA representatives notified police.

Testimony is expected to continue Thursday in Judge Velia Meza's 226th District Court.

If Cameron is found guilty, she faces a minimum of five years in prison to a maximum of life in prison.


About the Author:

Paul Venema is a courthouse reporter for KSAT with more than 25 years experience in the role.