Borden pleads, will testify

A Haleyville man accused of misleading law enforcement during the investigation of the shooting death of a Tharptown resident pleaded guilty on Monday to providing false information to law enforcement.

Johnny Thomas Borden, 23, with a last known address of 9299 County Road 32 in Haleyville, was originally charged with first-degree hindering of prosecution but accepted a plea agreement for false reporting to law enforcement authorities before his trial was scheduled to start on Tuesday.

Borden was arrested and charged after he told authorities that 76-year-old Bobby Johnson, charged with murder in the case, was with him at the time the shooting occurred.

The investigation proved this information was false and showed Johnson was at the residence and provided Bobby Jones with a sawed-off shotgun, which was the weapon used to shoot 32-year-old Mitchell Robbins in the mid-section in August of 2009.

As part of the plea, Borden received a one-year sentence in the Franklin County Jail suspended for two years on the condition that he pay court costs and testify truthfully in the prosecution of Johnson.

Jones pleaded guilty to manslaughter in February and received a 20-year sentence.

“The victim’s family agreed to this plea and understands he will testify against Mr. Johnson, who played a bigger role in the death of Mitchell Robbins,” Franklin County Assistant District Attorney Doug Evans said.

Both Johnson and J.C. Borden, who is charged with first-degree hindering of prosecution in the case, are set for the criminal jury term in June.