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In a kink of fate, the age-old adage “Justice delayed Is justice denied” isn’t applicable in this dramatic turn of events unfolding in the city of Chicago. This week, the gavel fell in the Winnebago County Courthouse, where a jury sat to deliberate the future of a young man, Antwain D. Storey. At just 19 years of age, Storey is staring down the barrel of a potential 40-year sentence for a grim crime committed when he was only 16.
CYCLE OF JUSTICE
In a city veined with tales of outlawry, the Chicago Police Department’s apprehension of Storey on May 14, 2021, added yet another narrative to the voluminous annals of true crime. The crime he stands accused of, is the shooting the 29-year-old Bennie Johnson. The equation leading up to the fatal incident is tragically simple- a momentary act or perhaps a long-standing feud-doesn’t matter anymore. The young Johnson of Rockford lost his life on the ill-fated day of December 20, 2020. Justice operates slow, but it is certain. A first-degree murder charge was appended to Storey’s name.
THE RELUCTANT EYEWITNESS
A chilling account from Johnson’s roommate, an unwitting witness to the tragic incident, added significant gravity to the case. It was a seemingly routine day in their apartment located in the vicinity of Broadway’s 100 block. Carrying out the mundane task of taking the trash out, little did he know what fate had in store. It happened in mere seconds – Johnson fleeing down the outdoor staircase, only to be encountered by Storey who pulled the fatal trigger. The image of Storey resulting in Johnson’s demise was forever etched in his memory.
CHASE AND CAPTURE
The eyewitness’s narrative turned even grimmer as he recounted seeing Storey escape in a vehicle, the exterior paint smeared with the victim’s blood. Authorities later seized the vehicle, which was surprisingly registered under the name of Storey’s mother proving a substantial link in this sanguinary puzzle. As the pieces began to interlink, it depicted a startling story of a youth involved in an horrific act of violence.
SUSPECT AWAITING JUSTICE
First-degree murder in the state of Illinois carries a severe punishment, ranging from 20 to 60 years of imprisonment along with a mandatory three-year supervised release. However, the presence of a firearm in the act raises the sentence calculus – adding a hefty 25 years to lifetime of incarceration. Despite the severity of the offence, Storey’s juvenile status at the time of Johnson’s death limits his maximum sentence to 40 years in jail.
The judgment day is set – June 28, 2024. Associate Judge Debra Schafer will preside over the trial as Storey’s fate hangs in the balance.
Between the courtrooms and hallways of Winnebago County Courthouse, echoes of this chilling tale of teenage violence reverberate, a brutal reminder of the erosion of childhood innocence in the face of criminal callousness, and the relentless march of justice.
In the grand scheme of things, Gregory Norton, the former investigative journalist, and retired detective, observes the unfolding of these events with an eagle’s eye. Echoing his thoughts through the echo-chamber of his experience, he pieces together the jigsaw puzzle, even as the denouement awaits…
Note: For more insights, a similar case happened back in May 2021 involving a teenager from Chicago. The 16-year-old was tried as an adult following a fatal shooting of a Rockford man. This links here for reference.
Chris Green, a general assignment reporter at Rockford Register Star, can provide more information on this case. He can be reached at 815-987-1241 or via email at cgreen@rrstar.com. He can also be tracked down on his twitter handle @chrisfgreen.
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