Testimony in Brandon Johnson John Doe case to wrap up Thursday



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The open John Doe investigation into the death of Brandon Johnson at the Milwaukee County Mental Health facility was in its third day on Wednesday, March 6th. A prosecutor spent the past three days questioning those involved in what happened to the 25-year-old, who was found unresponsive in the dining hall at the facility in October.

Johnson was described by family members as a bright young man, having graduated college with a business degree.

On October 3rd, after four days of fasting, Johnson began acting in a bizarre way -- so much so that his mother called police for help.

"I've seen him lose weight. He was breathing hard -- very hard. I seen him breathing hard and he was isolating himself," Johnson's brother, Julien Johnson said.

Police took Johnson to the Milwaukee County Mental Health facility.

Soon after he arrived at the facility, Johnson told staff that he fell, and over the course of the next three days, told some he couldn't walk and that he was paralyzed. Various staff members testified Johnson would move his head and his legs had a reflex. A doctor examining him decided this was all in Johnson's head.

While Johnson was in the Milwaukee County Mental Health facility, Michael Jackson was a janitor on his floor. It turns out the two were neighborhood friends.

"I said, 'how you doing?' He looked at me and a tear came out of his eye. He turned his head to the side. He said 'bro, I don't know what I'm doing here. I don't even know why I'm in here. I gotta get out of here,'" Jackson said.

Johnson was taken to have breakfast in the dining room on October 6th when he became unresponsive and died. An autopsy later discovered his neck was broken in three places, and a blood clot went to his heart.

Testimony was to wrap up Wednesday but instead, a few more witnesses will be called to testify Thursday. Then, the prosecutor reviews the testimony and writes a report. He could issue charges or put it in the lap of the judge to make a decision.