Judge considering former Huntington coach's request to move trial in sexual battery case

UPDATE: The judge took the request under advisement this morning and set a pretrial hearing for July.

Nicholas "Nick" Johnson, the former Huntington University women's running coach accused of imposing a cult-like atmosphere on student-athletes at the private Christian school, wants his trial on a felony sexual battery charge moved away from Huntington County.

A judge in Huntington Superior Court will take up the request in the high-profile case during a 10 a.m. hearing today.

Jennifer Lukemeyer, an Indianapolis attorney representing Johnson, declined to comment on the change of venue request.

Huntington County Prosecutor Jeremy Nix said Wednesday he intends to argue against moving the trial.

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"In my experience, the vast majority of people in our community don't read a newspaper or don't watch television news to the extent that we cannot find six or seven jurors that can be fair and impartial," Nix said.

Johnson was indicted by a Huntington County grand jury in March on charges of felony sexual battery and battery. The former women's cross country and track coach is accused of knowingly and intentionally touching a victim in a rude or angry manner and intentionally touching a victim who was force or compelled to submit. The indictment involves a female athlete who was enrolled at Huntington. Her identity has not been revealed. Court documents refer to her only as "Victim 1."

Johnson is currently free on bond. A trial date has yet to be set.

Johnson was the subject of an Indystar investigation into allegations of emotional and sexual abuse of female student-athletes in Huntington University's successful women's distance running program. He was fired as a Huntington coach in December 2020.

Some former runners accused Johnson of operating the program under a cult-like atmosphere that allowed emotional and physical abuse to abound. The investigation also revealed that Johnson engaged in sex with two student-athletes.

The runners also said they were pressured ― sometimes under force ― to take pills and injections containing unidentified substances.

A federal lawsuit also was filed against Johnson, the university and its board of trustees. Johnson's wife, Lauren Johnson, who replaced him as coach, and several others also are named in the civil lawsuit filed on behalf of two women, Hannah Stoffel and Emma Wilson, last year. Among the allegations are criminal battery by Johnson and negligence by Lauren Johnson

The lawsuit alleges that the coach gave "Larry Nassaresque massages" while acting like "a Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France pharmacist."

In the wake of the IndyStar investigation into claims of abuse and doping, the northeast Indiana university instituted several staffing changes including placing Lauren Johnson and another coach on leave pending an investigation.

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Shortly after Johnson was indicted in March, Nix's office sought a no-contact order against him on behalf of the victim in the criminal case in Huntington County. Nix said the filing of the order, which the judge approved, is a standard request his office makes in domestic abuse or sexual assault cases.

"It just prohibits him from any contact with the alleged victim while the case is pending," Nix said. "It will remain in effect up until the case is resolved either by a plea agreement or jury trial."

Nix said any violation of the no-contact order would result in his office filing a petition to revoke Johnson's bond and the ex-coach would be held until the case is resolved.

Contact IndyStar reporter Alexandria Burris at aburris@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @allyburris.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Former Huntington track coach wants change of venue for battery trial