Monroe woman nets 8 years in prison for two stabbings

In this file photo, Defense attorney John Thebes, left, sits with his client, Aquila Johnson.

A judge sentenced a Monroe woman to eight years in prison for stabbing two brothers over an apparent disagreement about payment for fast food.

One of the brothers nearly died after he was stabbed in the heart.

Aquila Johnson, 22, was sentenced Wednesday for two counts of felonious assault, both second-degree felonies, after she stabbed brothers Karlon and Karson Bey.

“You show no remorse,” Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge Linda Jennings said. “You are a dangerous person, Ms. Johnson.”

Judge Jennings said Johnson was “lucky” to be standing in court with felonious assault charges, rather than murder charges. She faced up to 16 years in prison.

The brothers were taken to Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center following the Sept. 23 incident.

“The first victim was not expected to survive his injuries because, upon arrival at the hospital, he had no pulse because you stabbed him in the heart,” Judge Jennings said. “Fortunately, the medical personnel were able to revive him, but he remained in critical condition.”

The second victim, Karlon Bey, was stabbed under the armpit.

“I’m still having trouble getting over it, just thinking about what she did,” Karlon Bey told the judge Wednesday.

Johnson’s attorney, John Thebes, said his client used a variety of illegal substances. While Mr. Thebes said that didn’t minimize Ms. Johnson’s actions, he said she needs mental and substance abuse treatment that she may not receive in prison.

Mr. Thebes requested Judge Jennings sentence his client to community control or issue a sentence for her to be released early.

Johnson thanked Judge Jennings and the prosecutor for their work in the case, along with her family for being in court to support her.

“I accept responsibility for that night and I wish I could go back and change the entire situation,” Johnson said.

While Johnson, the brothers, and other individuals were hanging out, they went to Taco Bell for food, Mr. Thebes said. At some point, Johnson and another woman were forced to walk back to Johnson’s apartment.

Johnson made a phone call to a family member, who also went to her apartment. Officials said a fight broke out at the apartment — during which, Karson Bey told his brother he’d been stabbed and collapsed. Prosecutors said Johnson had a knife and indicated to Karlon Bey, “Yeah I stabbed him.”

“It is unfortunate that in this melee that involved many, many people on Aqulia’s side, she is the only one to my knowledge, to this date, who is charged with a crime,” Mr. Thebes said. “I’m not suggesting police have done a poor job at investigating this crime, far from it ... It’s unfortunate one person is left holding the bag for a crime that had to have taken more than one person to perpetrate.”

Contact Allison Dunn at areamer@theblade.com, 419-724-6506, or on Twitter @AllisonDBlade.