DALLAS, TX — The juvenile case against 13-year-old Kayden Johnson has been dismissed with prejudice, civil rights activist Dr. Candice Matthews announced Thursday outside the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center.
Kayden’s family said the dismissal order was signed Wednesday, Oct. 21, allowing him to return home. Kayden attended Thursday’s gathering with his family and confirmed he was back home.
The case involved allegations of aggravated sexual assault and indecency with a child at Life Time Fitness. Kayden was 12 when the allegations surfaced. His trial ended in a mistrial Oct. 8, Houston Stringer previously reported.
During an Oct. 14 news conference, Dr. Matthews and Kayden’s mother, Fawn Johnson, raised concerns about surveillance footage and the handling of the proceedings. Fawn Johnson said the footage showed her son was never near the girl who made the allegations and that jurors were shown still images rather than the complete video. She also said Kayden had been unable to return home since January.
Dr. Matthews said Thursday that the family had declined a proposed plea agreement offered after last week’s news conference. She said the proposal would have reduced the case to a misdemeanor but required Kayden to register as a sex offender.
A pretrial hearing had been scheduled for Thursday, according to Dr. Matthews. She said the planned gathering proceeded as a celebration following news of the dismissal.
Dr. Matthews said complaints had been filed involving Judge Sheryl Lee Shannon, the district attorney’s office and the court reporter over alleged problems with evidence disclosure and court records. She also said she had connected the family with a civil rights attorney and that they planned to pursue a federal lawsuit.
Another mother, Dominique Johnson, described her separate, ongoing court dispute involving Shannon, the same judge who handled Kayden’s case. She alleged difficulties obtaining records and having her filings addressed.
Kayden said he felt good about the dismissal. His father, Thomas Johnson, thanked the family’s attorney, community members, and others who supported them.
