Hours after a Missouri man was bailed out of jail by a non-profit agency on April 9, he crept over to his wife’s home and brutally attacked her, according to police.
KMOV reports that on January 6, Samuel Lee Scott, 54, hit his wife Marcia Johnson, 54, on the side of the face, prompting a warrant for his arrest. Shortly after striking her, the suspect allegedly told Johnson he “might as well finish what [he] started since [she] was going to contact the police.”
Several months later, police captured Scott and arrested him on domestic assault charges. Four days after his arrest, Scott was served an Ex Parte Order of Protection while still behind bars. The following day, the nonprofit organization St. Louis Bail Project posted the suspect’s bail.
Upon release, Scott allegedly ignored the restraining order against him, which required him to stay at least 300 feet away from his wife. Scott went to Johnson’s St. Louis home off of the 3800 block of Wisconsin Street at around 7:45 p.m., and viciously attacked her, according to court documents.
Relative to the homicide in the 3800 block of Wisconsin, our Homicide Division's investigation lead to the @stlcao issuing one count of Murder 1st Degree against Samuel Lee Scott, a 54-year old black male of the 3800 block of Wisconsin. pic.twitter.com/IavImHajoY
— St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) April 16, 2019
Several hours later, Johnson’s friend took her to the hospital, where doctors noted she had broken ribs, a broken eye socket, and “blood coming from her head and body,” according to the outlet. She died in the hospital from blunt force trauma, five days later.
The Circuit Attorney’s Office charged Scott with first-degree murder two days after Johnson’s death.
St. Louis Bail Project, which claims on its website that it pays bail “for people in need, reuniting families and restoring the presumption of innocence,” issued a statement following Johnson’s death.
“Moments like this are devastating and a symptom of St. Louis’ failure to address the underlying issues,” the statement read in part. “It’s important to remember that bail didn’t cause this tragedy — Mr. Scott, a 54-year-old father of eight, was charged with a low-level misdemeanor, and if he’d just been wealthy enough to afford his bail, or bonded out by a commercial bail bond agency, he would have been free as well.
“We provided bail assistance based on the fact that the court had deemed him eligible for release before trial. No one could have predicted this tragedy.”
According to NBC 5, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced she’ll meet with St. Louis Bail Bail Project to “help them better understand the risks to victims and witnesses when posting bail for any type of domestic violence cases or for any defendant who is a potential safety risk to an individual or to the community.”
The nonprofit group that posted Samuel Lee Scott's $5,000 bail said the organization was "deeply saddened," but bail wasn't to blame for Marcia Johnson's death. https://t.co/FKzQwcChJn
— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) April 17, 2019
Meanwhile, one of Johnson’s family members told FOX 2 that the victim was a kind-hearted mother who would do anything for her children.
“She was loving, kind-hearted. She loved her kids, they were her heart,” a family member said. “I can’t wrap my head around it, it’s shocking.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Johnson to help with burial expenses. The story continues to develop. Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: Samuel Lee Scott, Marcia Johnson/Police Handout; GoFundMe]
