Rape trial begins

With the Lake County Common Pleas Court facility dog Atticus by her side to calm her nerves, a 19-year-old Concord Township woman took the witness stand July 25 to testify against her accused rapist.

Brian A. Johnson, a 30-yearold Cleveland man, is on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting and then robbing the woman the evening of March 29 at her former Willoughby Hills apartment.

Johnson is charged with one count each of rape, aggravated burglary, burglary and robbery.

The alleged victim testified that she and Johnson had been friends for about a year, but that he wanted more from her.

“In March, I told him I just wanted to be friends,” she said. The woman added that Johnson seemed to take the news well.

On March 29, Johnson told her he was coming over that night to visit and to smoke some of the 2 ounces of marijuana she had bought with her tax refund. The alleged victim said she smokes it for anxiety issues.

“He came over around 10:30,” she said. “I hugged him. I was really happy to see him.”

After she went into her bedroom to get the marijuana, the woman testified Johnson suddenly threw her on the bed, held her down and pulled her pants down.

“I told him, ‘I’m serious! Stop!’ ” she said. “He said, ‘You know you want this.’ ”

After the attack, the alleged victim said he ran out of the apartment with her smartphone and all of her marijuana.

“He had taken everything I had,” she said through her tears.

Soon after, she went to the Wickliffe Police Department — which was the wrong jurisdiction — in her pajamas to report she was raped. Wickliffe police said

she was so upset that they had a Willoughby Hills officer come to their station and get her rather than sending her there to file a report.

The woman said the assault left her not only in physical pain, but she got fired from her job for missing work and had to quit school.

During her opening statement, Assistant Lake County Prosecutor Lisa Neroda said evidence will show that DNA from both the teen and Johnson were found from the hospital examination.

However, Assistant County Public Defender James Mathews said the alleged victim has credibility issues.

Mathews described the woman as a drug dealer who had consensual sex with Johnson in the past and lied about it initially to police.

In addition, she admitted sending Johnson Snapchat photos of herself nude and a video to “shut him up.”

Mathews questioned why she would continue to send Johnson naked pictures after telling him she just wanted to be friends, and why she didn’t just block him on all her social media to avoid his advances.

The nonjury trial before Judge John P. O’Donnell is expected to last up to two days.

Johnson remains in jail on a $200,000 cash bond.

Johnson