Johns claims 'justification' for abducting stepdaughter

The Coralville man who triggered an Amber Alert in March will claim he was justified in allegedly abducting his 10-year-old stepdaughter.

According to online court documents filed Wednesday by Johns' attorney John W. Bruzek, Kenneth Eugene Johns, 48, intends to "rely on the defense of justification" for the charges of second-degree kidnapping, a class B felony, filed against him.

No trial date has been set for Johns yet, but the deadline for filing pretrial motions was extended to June 22, according to online court documents.

On March 7, Johns allegedly abducted his stepdaughter from Solon, which triggered an Amber Alert. The daughter was returned to law enforcement on March 8 and she was placed in the care of the Department of Human Services.

Johns was arrested March 8 and stated in court on March 19 that he was not guilty.

Shelly Johns, the mother of the 10-year-old girl, pleaded guilty to charges of child endangerment in late April. Shelly Johns, who allegedly put out a lit cigarette in the girl's face and also hit and kicked her, is set to be sentenced July 6.

Along with kidnapping, Kenneth Johns is charged with domestic abuse assault with displays of weapon, an aggravated misdemeanor; first-degree harassment, an aggravated misdemeanor; two charges of possession of a firearm by a felony, a class D felony; carrying weapons, an aggravated misdemeanor; violation of a no-contact order, a simple misdemeanor; and assault causing bodily injury, a serious misdemeanor.

Kenneth Johns, who is being held at Muscatine County Jail without bond, could receive up to 25 years in jail if convicted of kidnapping.

Reach Zach Berg at 319-887-5412, zberg@press-citizen.com, or follow him on Twitter at @ZacharyBerg.