Johnson sentenced to 20 years in fatal shooting

Jun. 8—Jaikorian Johnson, the Owensboro man found guilty of manslaughter in the 2020 death of a 15-year-old boy on West Second Street, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday afternoon in Daviess Circuit Court.

Johnson was 17 when he fatally shot Corban Henry on Aug. 15, 2020. Henry was riding on a moped when the incident occurred.

Jurors declined to convict Johnson of murder, but found him guilty of second-degree manslaughter and four counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. The jury recommended a total of 30 years in prison, but the state caps the maximum sentences for those felonies at 20 years.

The hearing was emotional, with both Johnson and Henry's mothers testifying, and at one point talking back and forth while Nancy Henry, Corban Henry's mother, was on the bench.

"I'm asking the court to take a real look at the defendant," Nancy Henry said of Johnson at one point. "He's not sorry. He's not remorseful."

Ramon McGee, Johnson's attorney, asked Circuit Judge Lisa Payne Jones to overturn the jury's verdict or grant a new trial. Jones denied both requests, and McGee made a motion that Johnson be placed on probation.

Johnson was eligible for probation because he was a juvenile when the incident occurred. State law allows judges to place a "youthful offender" on probation at sentencing.

A 20-year sentence for Johnson would be "longer than he has been on the planet," McGee said. "I don't think, respectfully, that taking the next 20 years of Jaikorian's life is going to provide solace."

McGee restated his argument from trial, that Johnson believed he was in danger at the time of the incident. At trial, McGee said Johnson had been at scenes were shots were fired, and that he had been shot at a few days prior at an apartment complex.

"Whatever you think of Jaikorian, he thought he was in danger that night," McGee said. Henry was carrying what turned out to be an airsoft gun when the incident occurred.

Johnson's mother, Kristy Parm, said Johnson would not have further incidents if he were released on probation.

"He wouldn't have been in trouble if he hadn't been scared to come to me and tell me someone was shooting at him," Parm said.

Parm told Henry's family, "I'm sorry. I can't bring him back. If I could, I would, but I can't."

Commonwealth's Attorney Bruce Kuegel argued that the jury correctly determined Johnson was the shooter, and said Johnson's DNA was found on the gun used in the shooting and on the bag the gun was stashed in at the home where Johnson was found hiding. A juvenile with Johnson at the time of the incident was not charged.

Johnson "made a conscious decision on that Saturday night ... to arm himself," Kuegel said. Kuegel dismissed the argument that Johnson shot Henry in self-defense.

"No one made any threats," Kuegel said. "There was no reason for him to believe he was in danger in any way, shape or form.

"The jury made their decision based on the totality of the evidence."

In addition to the evidence on the handgun, jurors were shown an Instagram post made a few days before the shooting, where Johnson is shown posing with a Taurus handgun. A Taurus was used in the shooting.

Nancy Henry asked the judge to give Johnson the full 20-year sentence.

"My son is never coming back, and you will pay for that," Henry told Johnson. Because the offenses do not meet the legal definition of "violent offenses" under state law, Johnson is eligible for parole after he serves 20% of his sentence.

Jones denied McGee's requests for probation or to reduce Johnson's prison sentence.

"One of the most appalling things was the ease at which you got a gun," Jones told Johnson. After he got a firearm through the internet, "almost immediately you posted a video like (the Taurus) was the hottest fashion."

While institutions and the community perhaps didn't do enough to help Johnson avoid incidents like what happened in 2020, "ultimately, the choice to fire the gun was yours," Jones told him. "It was a choice you made, and it led to Corban Henry's death."

James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse