Court eases supervision of Johnson

Former Prince George's county executive Jack B. Johnson (D) has been released from electronic monitoring as he awaits trial on federal charges of evidence tampering and destruction of evidence.

Johnson's attorney, Billy Martin, requested the change. In court records, he said his client is no longer an elected official and "needs the flexibility to meet with counsel, pursue employment opportunities, and to meet with other individuals outside of his residence." He said Johnson does not present a flight risk and has surrendered his passport to the court.

U.S. Magistrate Judge William Connelly approved Johnson's release from electronic monitoring last week. Prosecutors did not oppose the motion.

Johnson - and his wife, newly seated County Council member Leslie Johnson (D-Mitchellville) - were arrested in November in a probe of sweetheart land deals. Federal prosecutors in Maryland said the case is part of a far-reaching federal corruption investigation in Prince George's County.

On Nov. 12, the Johnsons were overheard on a wiretap plotting to flush a $100,000 check from a developer down the toilet and hide $79,600 in Leslie Johnson's bra as FBI agents knocked at the door, according to papers filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt.

The Johnsons requested that a preliminary hearing in the case, initially scheduled for December, be pushed back to February to give them more time to prepare. A trial date has not been set.

Leslie Johnson and Jack Johnson's successor, Rushern L. Baker III, also a Democrat, were sworn in Dec. 6.