Leigh Johnson

"My cause is to keep this town from turning into a living hell for the folks that live here."

- Leigh Johnson

Marshal  is a major character in Red Dead Redemption.

With the addition of the Liars and Cheats DLC pack,  is also a multiplayer character model that may be selected in the 'Redemption' section of the Outfitter.

Background
Johnson is the District Marshal of Armadillo, a settlement in the territory of New Austin. Johnson is an old-fashioned lawman with a strong no-nonsense ethic. He is characterized as tough, straight to the point, and is not afraid to get aggressive, all while remaining fair to the law. Johnson does his best to maintain law and order in the town of Armadillo while the world around them progresses into modernity. The Marshal also commands a couple of deputies, Jonah and Eli.

Red Dead Redemption
Marshal Leigh Johnson first comes to meet Marston in Armadillo after John has come looking for help on where to find Bill Williamson. He tasks Marston with numerous missions to pursue throughout New Austin, for which in turn he will help in the attempt to capture John's former-brother-in-arms at Fort Mercer. Some of these missions are used as tutorials for certain gameplay aspects, for example how to injure an enemy to allow him to be taken alive.

When Marston returns to Fort Mercer later on, the Marshal and his deputies, alongside a number of other characters Marston has met, come along to help apprehend Williamson. After storming the fort, they learn that Williamson left a few days prior to the attack, and that he headed south across the border and into Nuevo Paraiso, Mexico, with the help of Javier Escuella. Johnson and Marston thank each other for their assistance in their own matters, and part ways as Marston heads after Williamson.

The Marshal is not seen again in-game after Fort Mercer. However, in the end-game edition of the newspaper it is stated that 'Legendary Marshal Leigh Johnson' stepped down as the Marshal of Armadillo after 17 years of service. When asked what his next move would be, he stated that he plans to move as far away from Armadillo as is possible.

Undead Nightmare


In the Undead Nightmare DLC, Marshal Johnson is in the Sheriff's office in Armadillo. When Marston enters the office, Johnson explains the situation of the town. He asks Marston to look for his deputies, whom he sent out into the town. When Marston returns with the news, Johnson accepts it. He gives Marston Jonah's Sawed-off Shotgun and is not seen again.

Red Dead Redemption

 * "Political Realities in Armadillo"
 * "Justice in Pike's Basin"
 * "Spare the Rod, Spoil the Bandit"
 * "Hanging Bonnie MacFarlane"
 * "The Assault on Fort Mercer"

Undead Nightmare

 * "Dinner for Two"

Quotes
"We don't do deals with outlaws, boy."

- Leigh Johnson

"This country is infested with all manner of scum."

- Leigh Johnson

"Oh! The narcotic and bat piss salesman!"

- Marshal Johnson describing Nigel West Dickens

"It's gonna be a bloody job."

- to John Marston

"You hear that, Marston? We just butchered a gang of thieves and the town is up in arms about a missing snake oil salesman. I'm so glad to be serving such a wise and respectable people."

- Leigh Johnson

"Cattle rustlin' and bank robbery are at an all time low. Murder, blood drinking, and psychotic episodes seem to be somewhat prevalent."

- Leigh Johnson describing the state of Armadillo in Undead Nightmare

"Would you ride with us, John?"

- Leigh Johnson inviting John Marston along

Trivia

 * Marshal Leigh Johnson is a member of the United States Marshals Service, which is the oldest federal law enforcement agency in the whole of the United States, being created in the year 1789.
 * Johnson carries a pair of nickel-plated Cattleman Revolvers. In gameplay, Johnson will only wield one of these pistols. However, in cinematic, Johnson can be seen drawing both.
 * NPCs at MacFarlane's Ranch can be heard stating that "he has the whole world on his shoulders."
 * Johnson is a widower. The tombstone of his late wife, Priscilla Johnson, is located in the Coot's Chapel Cemetery, to the left of the front entrance. The engraving reveals that she died April 23rd, 1903. The cause, however, is not mentioned. The tombstone also says, 'Forever Smiling In Our Hearts'.
 * He is briefly seen in Undead Nightmare and in the official trailer he addresses Marston by saying, "Welcome to paradise!"
 * As seen in "Political Realities in Armadillo", the Marshal uses a Tersk as his mount.
 * Bonnie MacFarlane, along with Marshal Johnson, are killable after the mission "Hanging Bonnie MacFarlane". Immediately after the mission, as Marston watches them ride off, if he goes into Dead Eye and kills their horses, Bonnie and the Marshal will fall off, and, strangely, Bonnie will go into the Tumbleweed bar, while the Marshal will be walking down the road in the opposite direction. To kill them, aim your shotgun next to their heads, it will take many shots, but they are killable. (Confirmed)
 * For some reason, the word "Marshal" is misspelled in the Outfitter. It is spelled "Marshall".
 * His quote "My cause is to keep this town from turning into a living hell for the folks that live here." is quite ironic. In the Undead Nightmare DLC, the town is overrun with Zombies, making it a hell on Earth. However, the quote and the zombie outbreak occur on different continuities of the story, so the irony is not canon.
 * If looked at closely he has blond traces in his hair.
 * He does not appear at Beecher's Hope with the other marshals During the mission "The Last Enemy That Shall Be Destroyed". This may be because John earned the Marshal's respect and so he refused to help or because Edgar Ross didn't know about him and John. It is also possible Ross had enough marshals and did not need to ask New Austin marshals to join him.
 * After completing "Dinner for Two", if the player return to Johnson's office they can see that his office has been boarded up and he is inside. Killing him is much easier compared to doing so in "Hanging Bonnie MacFarlane" as it only takes one shot in the head with any shotgun through the window.
 * The Marshal does not seem to have an understanding of modern technology, as in the cutscene before the mission "Justice in Pike's Basin" he is seen trying to contact help using a telephone that he is using backwards, speaking through the ear piece and trying to listen through the speaking piece.
 * In the DLC Liars and Cheats, one of the Grand Prix race courses is named after him: L. Johnson's Run, which starts and ends in Armadillo.
 * In a promotional picture that can be seen below in the gallery, the Marshal is pictured crumbling a bounty in his hand. If the player looks closely, they can see the Marshal standing right outside his office in Armidillo.
 * After his mission in Undead Nightmare and John leaves his office, he can be seen making calls and doing paperwork given the inopportune time.

Gallery
Leigh Johnson