Second Man Convicted in Stabbing Death at the Red Carpet

Jake Judd KNSI

(KNSI) – A second man has been convicted of stabbing a man to death at a St. Cloud bar.

A Stearns County judge convicted Christopher Lamar Johnson of second-degree murder for his part in the death of 29-year-old Unity McGill at the Red Carpet Nightclub in December of 2019.

Stearns County Jail

The 28-year-old St. Cloud man chose to have his case heard in front of a judge rather than by a jury. His sentencing date hasn’t been set.

Johnson was one of three men charged in the McGill’s death.

Johnson’s brother, 29-year-old Lawrence Michael Johnson, was found guilty in October of second-degree murder and scheduled to be sentenced on March 17th.

The third man charged in the case, 28-year-old Bryant Stephenson, has a hearing scheduled next month.

Surveillance video shows that the first fight broke out around 1 a.m. when eyewitnesses say the three all assaulted an unidentified man.

He was seen bleeding from the nose and mouth with McGill standing nearby.

Lawrence Johnson is then seen hitting McGill and McGill fighting back.

Christopher Johnson then attacks McGill, who again is seen fighting back.

Security personnel then escorted Stephenson, Christopher Johnson, Lawrence Johnson, and another assault victim out of the club while McGill remained inside.

The criminal complaint states that Christopher Johnson and Lawrence Johnson re-entered the club about 1:15 a.m., with Stephenson entering a short time later.

It goes on to say that Stephenson was seen on surveillance video entering the dance floor at 1:22 a.m. and moving around to where McGill is standing.

Christopher Johnson and Lawrence Johnson approach McGill from different directions, with Christopher approaching from the front and Lawrence approaching from behind.

McGill was knocked to the ground and attacked. Security personnel broke up the fight a short time later.

Even after the fight was broken up, police say, Christopher Johnson, Lawrence Johnson, and Stephenson allegedly continued to punch and kick McGill.

McGill is seen trying to leave the Red Carpet but collapsed in the main entry. Police say the three men continued to kick him in the head before leaving on foot. McGill was rushed to the St. Cloud Hospital, where he died.

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