Cedar Rapids man accused in slaying of Clifton West under suicide watch

A former girlfriend of Clifton West said she knew the man accused of killing him but has no idea what happened between the two men who were having a barbeque that day.

Somer Lekin of Cedar Rapids, also the mother of West's children, said she saw him June 25, about two hours before he went over to the home of Stephen Jerred Johnson, 39, of Cedar Rapids, who was charged with first-degree murder Tuesday.

"I didn't want to believe it," Lekin said. "The word was that (somebody) saw him (Johnson) push Cliff out of the car in the alley. It was right next to his girlfriend's home -  just dumped him off at home. His girlfriend's pregnant."

"We've known his family for years," she continued. "Two families are hurting  and two families are ruined by this."

Johnson, 39, wearing a padded smock that inmates wear on suicide watch, made his initial appearance Tuesday by video from the Linn County Jail. He was arrested and taken into custody Monday. A judge set his bond at $2 million cash or surety.

Johnson said he would hire his own attorney when 6th Judicial District Associate Judge Russell Keast asked if he wanted court appointed counsel. He mostly looked down during the brief hearing.

According to a criminal complaint, Johnson is accused of stabbing to death West with premeditation and malice during an altercation  between the two men. There were no details on the "dangerous weapon" used to kill him. Police found West's body that day in the 1500 block alley between 5th and 6th Avenue SE.

Lekin said West and Johnson had been good friends for a long time and they would argue at times like most friends but nothing that would lead to violence. Lekin and West hadn't been in a relationship for about two years but they were co-parents of four children and remained friends after their break up.

Lekin said she's still "so shocked" over West's death and her children are upset and angry that they won't see their father again. They saw him about two days before his death. She has been trying to prepare them for West's funeral which will be in Chicago this weekend, she said.

Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner confirmed Johnson is on suicide watch. Inmates who aren't dealing well with the "severity" of their charges wear the smocks for their own protection, so they don't harm themselves before they can be evaluated.

Several friends or family members of Johnson were in the courtroom for the appearance but they declined to comment.

According to court records, Johnson's criminal history includes drug charges, burglary, assault causing bodily injury, and most recently a disorderly conduct charge in 2012.

After Johnson received a deferred sentence on the drug charge, he was charged about a year later with the assault involving an apparent revenge incident where he and another man were accused of assaulting a woman in Marion. They threatened her with a knife and gun which led to another incident of shots being fired at a separate residence. At the time, police believed the incidents stemmed from a fight earlier in the evening. Johnson was also charged with first-degree burglary in that incident and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

Cedar Rapids Police Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said Tuesday after the hearing that the investigation into West's homicide is ongoing. No other details of the homicide are being released at this time, she said.

A preliminary hearing for Johnson is set July 12, if the county attorney doesn't file trial information before that time.