Clark County jail inmate accused of killing cellmate

A Clark County Detention Center inmate is accused of killing his cellmate, the Metropolitan Police Department announced Wednesday.

The suspect, 30-year-old Lee Johnson, has been rebooked on suspicion of open murder and battery by a prisoner, according to jail records.

In a hearing Wednesday afternoon, Johnson was held without bail and his arraignment was scheduled for Monday.

Police said a Metro corrections officer found an unresponsive male inside his cell just after 2 p.m. Tuesday.

The inmate was taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Metro’s homicide section is investigating. Detectives believe the victim had been involved in a fight with Johnson, his cellmate.

The victim’s identity had not yet been released as of Wednesday.

Court records show that Johnson also has amassed 11 other cases in the Las Vegas Justice Court since 2010. The charges range from burglary, grand larceny and drug possession to various forms of battery including battery by a prisoner and domestic battery.

Most recently, Johnson was facing two misdemeanor counts of battery on a protected person when he was arrested Oct. 7.

He had been in custody since his arrest in that case.

According to a Metro arrest report, Johnson was accused of trying to fight officers on Oct. 7 after they stopped him for allegedly walking through a crosswalk while the red hand signal was up at South Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn Road.

After turning on his patrol lights and sirens, one officer got out of his patrol vehicle and asked Johnson to drop an item he was holding in his hand. Johnson said no and sat on the curb. After being asked to get up, Johnson did and according to the arrest report, exchanged words with another officer, then approached that officer in a fighting stance.

The officer pushed Johnson away, but Johnson began kicking and kneeing the officer, while saying, “I’ll kill you,” according to the arrest report. Once in custody, Johnson was banging his head against the police vehicle’s window, the report said.

Johnson’s next court date for that case is set for Oct. 26, two days after his scheduled arraignment in the murder case.

Contact Brett Clarkson at bclarkson@reviewjournal.com or 561-324-6421. Follow @BrettClarkson_ on Twitter. Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.