Homan trial delayed again; this time to July

QUINCY — The trial of the former owner of the Barn nightclub, who faces one count of aggravated battery in connection to a March 2020 incident involving a former Quincy University student, has been delayed once again, this time until July. 

Steven Homan, who pled not guilty to the charge on May 12, 2021, appeared Tuesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court. When Homan appeared in court on Sept. 7, his case was set for the Jan. 10 jury docket. During his most recent appearance in court on Nov. 2, his case had been set for the March 7 jury docket. 

So when Judge Amy Lannerd noted at the beginning of Tuesday’s status hearing that the case was on the March 7 jury docket, assistant state’s attorney Josh Jones informed her that an agreement had been reached to ask for another continuance.

Homan, 48, was joined Tuesday morning by Michael Mettes, an associate with the St. Louis firm of Rosenblum, Schwartz & Fry. Mettes appeared on behalf of Scott Rosenblum, who has represented rapper Nelly and former St. Louis Rams football stars Marshall Faulk and Leonard Little. 

Mettes said Rosenblum’s schedule for March, April and May was booked. 

“We’ve just resolved a case that was on July 11, and I don’t know if that is a trial week for the county,” Mettes said. “But that date now is open for us, and if it would be OK with the state, we’d like to set (the trial) for that date.”

Lannerd agreed, noting the trial would be heard before Judge Kevin Tippey of Jacksonville.

“I certainly appreciate forgiving the scheduling issues that have been raised. I am going mark this, given the length of time, counsel, as a final note on July 11,” she said to Mettes.

Lannerd then asked Jones how long he believes the trial will be. Jones replied that he thought it could be finished in a day and a half or two days, but he had another concern.

“Jury selection will be the major concern,” he said. “My concern is if we’ll get a jury picked in one day or more than one day.

“I would ask the court to at least consider a special setting on this, because we may want more than the standard number of jurors that we bring in because of the media attention to this case. There was significant media attention when this case first occurred, and based on that, we may have difficulty picking a jury. That’s why I would ask the court ask for additional jurors for this case.”

Lannerd said increasing the number of jurors could be addressed by the jury coordinator.

Homan was charged April 14, 2021 after a Quincy Police Department investigation of an April 4 incident at the Barn nightclub, 711 S. Front. Jazzpher Evans, a former Quincy University student from Shorewood, Ill., alleges she was attacked by Homan.

A charging document filed in Adams County Circuit Court alleges Homan “knowingly made physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature” with Evans, and that Homan placed his arm around Evans’ neck and “drug her for 20 seconds.”

Homan turned himself into police on April 15. His bail was set at $25,000. He was released after posting $2,500. 
At that time, Homan relinquished the license for the nightclub. It re-opened in July under the name “The Well.” The Well’s license is in the name of Backroads Vending, which is owned by Homan’s sister, Carla Shank.

Evans has since left Quincy University and is on the women’s basketball team at the University of Alaska-Anchorage.