photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Jermey Anthony Johnson is pictured during a plea hearing on March 29, 2023, in Douglas County District Court. Johnson pleaded no contest to felony counts of criminal discharge of a firearm and criminal damage in connection with a shooting at a Lawrence nightclub.

A man originally charged with attempted murder for shooting at a Lawrence nightclub after he was beaten up was sentenced to probation on Wednesday in Douglas County District Court.

The man, Jermey Anthony Johnson, 25, of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded no contest in March to one count of criminal discharge of a firearm and one count of criminal damage to property, both low-level felonies, as part of a plea agreement with the state that dismissed two counts of first-degree attempted murder, as the Journal-World reported.

The charges are in connection with an incident on Aug. 1, 2021, at the now-closed Allstars Gentleman’s Club at 913 N. Second St.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The Allstars nightclub at 913 N. Second St. is pictured Thursday, July 14, 2022.

Judge Sally Pokorny sentenced Johnson to 11 months in prison for criminal discharge of a firearm and five months for criminal damage, with the sentences to run consecutively for a total of 16 months, which she then suspended to 24 months of probation. Johnson used a firearm during the commission of a felony, which under Kansas law comes with a presumptive prison sentence unless there are compelling circumstances for a judge to grant probation over prison.

Johnson’s defense attorney, Angela Keck, filed a motion for probation on the grounds that Johnson has no criminal history, holds a degree from the University of Kansas and has full-time work. In addition, he is engaging in a counseling program that would benefit his rehabilitation more than prison would, Keck said.

Pokorny agreed that regular counseling would serve Johnson better than a prison sentence and for the additional reasons given in Keck’s motion she granted Johnson probation.

Johnson spoke briefly at the hearing and said that this incident did not reflect his character and that if he were granted probation, the court would never see him again. Pokorny then asked what happened the night of the incident, if this was truly out of character for Johnson.

Keck said that it was the first time for Johnson and his girlfriend at the club and that when they arrived some people were making comments about his girlfriend. When Johnson tried to defend the woman, the men who were making comments “beat the crap out of him” to the extent that he needed medical attention. Keck said that after Johnson saw a doctor he returned to the club with a gun and fired into the air.

Christopher Shane Wuenstel, 24, and Daequan Jermaine Rayton, 25, both of Topeka, were each charged with aggravated battery in connection with the incident, but those charges were dismissed in September of 2022 without prejudice, meaning that the charges could be refiled.

According to the arrest affidavit in support of Johnson’s arrest, surveillance video from the club showed a bullet shatter the glass of the front door of the club and strike the wall in the club’s foyer, where club patrons had been standing only seconds before.

Pokorny said that Johnson would need to regularly check in with a probation officer in Missouri.

Johnson has been free on a $100,000 surety bond.