Assault, burglary counts dropped

Assault victim Natasha Gardner told police she knew Cinnamon Johnson had been married to Jello Johnson. But she didn’t know Cinnamon Johnson was now married to her friend Larry “Tiny” Gatewood when Cinnamon came calling last December.

Cinnamon Johnson didn’t want to be married to Gatewood, though. Authorities say she wanted to serve divorce papers on Gatewood when she went to Gardner’s home on East Nora, where she thought she would find Gatewood.

Johnson, 32, recently admitted in court that she got angry when Gardner told her to leave her papers in the mailbox, so she broke out a window and let herself in.

Johnson pleaded guilty to second-degree malicious mischief for breaking the window and to second-degree assault for slashing Gardner with a seven-inch piece of the broken glass. Gardner’s left hand was cut to the tendon.

Johnson also tried to clobber Gardner with a ceramic statue. When Gardner’s roommate, Darla Hines, intervened, Johnson hit Hines with a glass bottle and fled with the statue. Gatewood wasn’t around.

Deputy Prosecutor Eugene Cruz agreed to drop one count of second-degree assault and a first-degree burglary charge, and to recommend the low end of Johnson’s 15- to 20-month standard prison term when she is sentenced on Nov. 3. Johnson agreed to pay Gardner’s medical bills.

Superior Court Judge Linda Tompkins accepted the deal, which called for Johnson’s bail to be reduced to $1,000 so she can be free to arrange care for her three young children.

Johnson was convicted of another second-degree assault last year in Spokane County, and of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Kansas in 1994.