Alexis Johnson False Imprisonment Charge Dropped, Assault Charge Reduced

Tennessee defensive lineman Alexis Johnson had a felony count of aggravated assault reduced to misdemeanor domestic assault as part of an agreement reached Thursday. If he stays out of trouble for six months, the lesser charge will be dropped as well.    

WBIR reported Knox County Sessions Court Judge Chuck Cerny signed off on the deal, which relates to an alleged incident involving a woman who accused him of choking her and holding her against her will on Valentine's Day.

A false imprisonment charge was thrown out as a result of the agreement as well.

"We were able to reach a successful agreement with the district attorney's office. All the charge will be dismissed in six months. He has no other requirements," Johnson's lawyer, Gregory P. Isaacs, told WBIR.

The report also included a statement from the Knox County District Attorney General's Office: "After reviewing the evidence and consulting multiple times with the alleged victim, we felt that this was the fairest resolution for this case."

Steve Megargee of the Associated Press passed along comments from Deputy District Attorney General Kyle Hixson, who confirmed the alleged victim was consulted as part of the decision.

"We reviewed the evidence very closely," Hixson said. "We had multiple consultations with the alleged victim in this case. Everybody agreed that this would be the fairest way to handle the situation."

Johnson, a JUCO transfer from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas, was suspended after being arrested in the case. Tennessee athletic department spokesman Ryan Robinson told the AP there was "no status change at this moment."

Tennessee didn't provide a timetable for making a decision about Johnson's availability heading toward the 2016 season. He's due back in court on Oct. 10.