Man released from jail under 'speedy trial' law
Under a state law meant to ensure a speedy trial, a 19-year-old Detroit man is being released from jail after being held 180 days in Butler County Prison without a trial or guilty plea in his case.
Davion A. Johnson was arrested last summer on accusations he broke into a house and beat a woman who police suspected was high on crack cocaine.
Johnson is considered an “associate through drug use” of the victim, according to previous court testimony.
He faces a felony count of burglary as well as misdemeanor charges of simple assault, harassment, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and possession of a small amount of marijuana.
Because of Rule 600(B), Johnson was granted release on pretrial supervision Wednesday by Judge William Shaffer. Since a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the rule is meant to ensure a defendant isn’t held for too long in jail before a trial or entering a guilty plea.
This is an excerpt from a larger article that will appear in Friday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read more.
