A Northern Kentucky lawyer charged with felony rape has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor sex offense, angering the victim in the case. D. Keith Johnson, 45, of Fort Mitchell pleaded guilty Friday in Campbell Circuit Court to the misdemeanor charge of sexual misconduct. Kentucky law states that someone is guilty of this crime when they engage in sexual intercourse without the other person's consent.
Judge Fred Stine sentenced Johnson to 90 days of house arrest, but the Newport lawyer will be allowed to take a summer vacation during that time.
"Talk about a slap on the wrist," said the victim's lawyer, Tad Thomas of Louisville. "He gets 90 days in his own home ... and he is allowed to take vacation in the middle of it. My client is outrage at this sentence."
Johnson was also ordered to pay $655 in fines and court costs, complete 100 hours of community service, have no contact with the victim, take substance abuse and mental health evaluations and complete any recommended treatment.
If Johnson violates any of the conditions of his sentence during the next 12 months, Stine could order Johnson to serve one year in prison. There is nothing in Stine's order that requires Johnson to attend any sex offender treatment or register as a sex offender.
"It is incredibly disappointing that he gets this sentence," Thomas said.
Johnson's attorney, former Campbell County Commonwealth's Attorney Jack Porter, didn't return calls seeking comment. Porter previously said his client, who is married with children, admitted to having a romantic encounter on Jan. 1 in Campbell County but that it was consensual.
Thomas said his client was agreeable to the reduced charge only if Johnson was sentenced to prison time. Thomas said his client would try to "seek justice" through a civil lawsuit.
Johnson's guilty plea and sentencing was moved to the Friday before the Fourth of July holiday weekend despite the fact that a court calendar posted on the Kentucky Court of Justice website listed Johnson's next hearing date for the Tuesday after the holiday [ . . . ]
Thomas said the special prosecutor assigned to the case, Fayette County Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Larson, notified his client that the hearing was last week but didn't inform her until after the fact that Johnson would get no jail time.
When asked whether he thought Johnson received favorable treatment because he has been a lawyer for more than 20 years in Northern Kentucky, Thomas said, "I don't know, but I'm very surprised at this sentence [ . ]"
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Maybe, Johnson didn't rape this lady. Perhaps his plea deal was reluctantly entered into because of the significant legal peril how does this sentence make any sense. What's left out my excerpt was that there was apparently something real shady about the scheduling of the hearing in a way in which it appears that the victim and her advocates were prevented from participating. In short what happened, here, smells like special treatment.
We shall see what the Ky Bar does with his license, probably not much since he took a misdemeanor. ADSENSE HERE