Jury finds Johnson guilty on all counts after double homicide trial

Nov. 3—WILKES-BARRE — A Luzerne County jury believed the identification of a Wilkes-Barre police detective that Jayshawn Johnson was the gunman who fatally killed two men and permanently injured another man outside a South Main Street night club in 2021.

Johnson, 22, was convicted on two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of Damian Thomas, 32, and Maurice Chapman, 31, and charges of criminal attempt to commit homicide and aggravated assault for permanently injuring Quan Cade Jr. outside Bo's on Main, a night club on South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, on Jan. 30, 2021.

The jury deliberated about two hours before convicting Johnson.

"It was a great relief. It was almost two years we've been working on this case," District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said, praising First District Attorney Anthony G. Ross, Assistant District Attorney Gerry Scott and detectives with his office and Wilkes-Barre police.

"Multiple homicides and Quan Cade, his injuries are almost indescribable in words. I know it was a relief for the families to finally see justice. It was a relief for all of us to get the verdict. Our thanks of course to the jury who saw through the defense and saw this case for what it was," Sanguedolce said.

Cabe suffered a gunshot wound to his head and lost sight in his right eye.

The defense strategy of Johnson's attorneys, David V. Lampman II and Leonard Gryskewicz Jr., was to discredit the identification by Wilkes-Barre police Det. James Conmy.

In reviewing multiple surveillance videos recorded inside and outside the night club, Conmy recognized Johnson from having prior contacts with him.

Lampman said investigators failed to find any witnesses to actually say Johnson was the gunman despite multiple people outside the night club at the time of the shooting.

During his closing argument, Lampman produced a photo of a parking meter in front Bo's on Main, telling the jury Johnson was too tall to be the shooter. Lampman said the same surveillance video and photos prosecutors used during the trial showed the gunman about the same height of the parking meter, which is 57 inches.

"Jayshawn Johnson is six inches taller than that meter. Jayshawn Johnson is too tall to be the shooter," Lampman said.

Sanguedolce, Ross and Scott acknowledged at the start of trial before Judge David W. Lupas they did not have the firearm, fingerprints, clothing worn by the gunman and witnesses who were at the scene. Prosecutors relied heavily on surveillance footage and Johnson's social media page.

"It is something that made the trial difficult," Sanguedolce said about not having direct evidence. "I think it's something we're going to see more and more of. We're seeing fewer people that want to or are willing to get involved. As you've seen, we had to bring one witness in handcuffs who tried to avoid coming to court. The advance technology with surveillance cameras, Facebook and social media and things we have to trace nowadays, I think we have to get used to for a different type of trial."

Another piece of evidence prosecutors did not have was motive to the shooting. Jurors never heard why the shooting took place or the reason why they believe Johnson fired at least seven rounds from a 9mm handgun.

"We had several rumors about what the motive is but nothing solid enough to put in front of the jury," Sanguedolce said. "Thankfully, the jury understood (Lupas') instructions. Sometimes the motive is just in the brains of the murderer, you never find out what it is. Usually we could piece it together with circumstantial evidence. In this case, we could not."

Johnson is facing life in prison without parole on each of the two first degree murder convictions and additional time in prison on the attempted homicide and aggravated assault convictions.

Lupas said he will sentence Johnson on Jan. 4.

Reach Ed Lewis at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TLEdLewis