Jonesboro School Shooter Pleads Guilty to Theft

One of the 1998 Jonesboro, Arkansas, middle school shooters has entered a guilty plea to theft and marijuana possession, admitting the theft of a disabled man's debit card at a gas station where he worked. Mitchell Johnson, 24, entered his plea to the Feb. 3 theft before a circuit judge this week.

Sentencing for Mitchell is planned for Nov. 14 in Benton County.

Johnson was 13 when he and classmate Andrew Golden, 11, stole guns from Golden's grandfather and shot teachers and students fleeing the school after Golden set off the fire alarm. They killed English teacher Shannon Wright and students Natalie Brooks, 11; Paige Herring, 12; Stephanie Johnson, 12; Britthney Varner, 11.

Because they were juveniles, under Arkansas law at the time, they could only be sentenced to serving time in a juvenile facility until their 21st birthdays.

Johnson has already been sentenced to four years in prison for possession of guns and drugs after he was stopped for a traffic offense on New Year's Day 2007. He was convicted of those charges days before he was arrested in the debit card theft.

See Also:
1998 School Shooter Pleads Guilty to Theft Charges
Earlier Articles:
Jonesboro School Shooter in Trouble Again
School Shooter Convicted on Federal Gun Charges
Arkansas School Shooter Back in Court
Arkansas School Shooter to Be Released

^{Photo: Mug Shot}