While the Lee County Sheriff has not yet announced an arrest in the July 2020 murder of Johnny Jackson at the Lani Kai Motel on Fort Myers Beach, two lawsuits that resulted from the incident are moving forward.
In August Johnny Jackson’s mother, Thomasina Daniels, filed a wrongful death suit against the Lani Kai. The July incident the Lee County Sheriff is investigating took place on the beach side outside the motel. This month, the Lani Kai asked the Court to dismiss the Daniels suit. The judge denied the request.
There also appears to be a settlement offer on the table, proposed by Ms. Daniels. According to court documents, the Lani Kai filed a request with the court for an “extension of time to respond to plaintiff’s proposal for settlement.” An offer to settle before a case goes to trial is not uncommon.Â
The Lani Kai has since sent a subpoena to Genesis Medical Clinic in Temple Terrace, FL. They are requesting all of Johnny Jackson’s medical records from the clinic by January 29th.
Jackson who was 22 years old at the time he was killed was a hotel guest of his brother, Jordan Phillips, who was an employee of the Lani Kai at the time. The Daniels lawsuit states that during the “three years prior to the incident, a substantial amount of violent criminal activity, including assaults, batteries and the discharge of firearms had occurred on the premises of The Lani Kai.”
If a settlement cannot be reached in the case it will go to a jury trial.
Travisia Blanks has also filed a lawsuit against The Lani Kai. Blanks says she was wounded by a gunshot in the July incident. There appeared to be a settlement offer on the table in this case as well. The Lani Kai requested more time to consider the settlement stating it was too soon to determine what, if any, settlement could be made. The court denied that request.
Blanks is scheduled for a deposition in the case on February 9th at 1:00PM. The Lani Kai has issued a subpoena for all of Blanks’ medical records related to the incident.