A one-day trial in Starke Circuit Court found the defendant not guilty on all charges.
John Filip was accused of domestic battery committed in the presence of a child less than 16 years old, strangulation and confinement. The charges were all Level 6 Felonies.
The victim testified during the trial Wednesday, June 21 that Filip was upset and wanted to take her cell phone away from her and she refused to give it to him. She said Filip forced her to the ground and he attempted to choke her to get the phone. She then said that he locked her up and would not let her go. After she was released, she went to a nearby John Deere facility to call for someone to pick her up. She got a ride to the Starke County Sheriff’s Department where she filed a report.
Filip testified that he was going after her cell phone when the victim got combative. He was attempting to get her to stop hitting him and that’s when he applied pressure to her chest to get her to stop hitting him. He said there were no children around and he did not keep her confined.
The event occurred in early March 2022.
In all, five people took the stand, including the defendant, and both the prosecution and defense rested Wednesday afternoon.
A six-member jury returned with not guilty verdicts on all counts late Wednesday afternoon.
The State of Indiana was represented by Starke County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Poulos, while Ed Ruiz presented the defendant. Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall presided over the trial.
