Having previously plead guilty to two counts of Sexual Misconduct with a Minor as a Class B Felony and Incest as a Class B Felony, 39-year-old Ken Singleton appeared before Judge Kim Hall in the Starke Circuit Court on Thursday to be sentenced. The victim of the sexual abuse was not present to make a statement but a victim impact letter she had written was read aloud in court.
Donald Humphrey was sentenced Wednesday in the Starke Circuit Court for Harassment as a Class D misdemeanor, Intimidation as a Class D felony, and two charges of Intimidation as a Class C felony.
During the sentencing hearing, the victim, David Palm, gave a brief statement to the court requesting the maximum sentence for Humphrey, saying he’ll “never change.” He also requested three days of pay that he had lost to come to court, for a total of $250.
The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of Gerald Broude. Broude was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court in December of 2010 to 50 years on each of the three Class A Felony counts of Child Molestation, and eight years on one count of Child Molestation, a Class C Felony. The sentences were ordered to be run concurrently to total 50 years.
A jury found him guilty on four counts of Child Molestation after deliberating less than 30 minutes on December 1st.
Facing two separate criminal cases in the Starke Circuit Court, 41-year-old Mark Wilson of Grovertown was present for his plea and sentencing hearing before Judge Kim Hall.
In his first case, Wilson was charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Class B Felony. As part of a plea agreement, other charges against him, Possession of Precursors and Possession of Marijuana, were dismissed.
Larry Clemons, of North Judson, was arrested on drug charges on Monday evening.
North Judson police officers, along with the officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department, were called to Judson Express after they received a call that a wanted person was at the business. The person whom they were looking for was not there, but they spotted Larry Clemons who was wanted on a Starke Circuit Court warrant. Officers conducted a search of his person and allegedly found him to be in possession of drugs.
Shelby Thomas appeared in Starke Circuit Court on Friday where he plead not guilty to three counts of Attempted Murder, four counts of Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon and three counts of Resisting Law Enforcement with a Deadly Weapon.
Thomas, of North Judson, was arrested on Sunday, October 16th after he allegedly threatened to kill a Knox man in the 1400 block of west 400 S. in Knox as he held a knife up against his throat. The man got away and Thomas was later questioned about the incident. When officers from the Knox City Police Department and the Starke County Sheriff’s Department asked Thomas to place his hands behind his back, his demeanor reportedly turned to anger. He then reached behind his back to remove a knife from his pants line and threatened the lives of two of the officers trying to place him into custody. The blade on the knife was 10 to 12 inches in length and Thomas reportedly began swinging the knife at the three officers and telling them, “I’m not going back to prison. You’ll have to kill me first.” Thomas was then tasered and officers were able to free the knife from Thomas’ hands. Thomas was tasered twice before he released the knife that he reportedly swung at the officers.
A change of venue has been granted by Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall in the lawsuit filed by former Starke County Treasurer Linda Belork. The suit was brought about after Belork’s August 11th dismissal of her duties as treasurer of the county. Belork was relieved of her duties by the County Commissioners after a state audit reported financial discrepancies. According to a later commissioner’s report, some of the discrepancies have been cleared up by the Auditor’s office.
Ethan Lowe, Belork’s attorney, asked for a change of venue from Starke County. Representing the County in the matter is attorney, Martin Lucas.
With his trial only a day away, Mark Griffin told the Starke Circuit Court that he would like to plead guilty. No plea agreement was submitted, but Griffin told Judge Kim Hall that a recommendation had been agreed on by Prosecutor Nick Bourff and Defense Attorney Richard Ballard. Griffin said that he no longer wants to take his case to trial because he has been unable to get in contact with the witnesses he had planned to bring forward.
Accused of Battery, Confinement, and Domestic Violence, Richard Garrison, Jr. plead guilty to Battery as a Class C felony in Starke Circuit Court on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The state, as part of the accepted plea agreement, dismissed the charges of confinement and domestic violence. Garrison admitted that during an argument, he slammed a door closed on a woman’s arm.
Haven Ewing was to go on trial in Starke Circuit Court this week, but the Starke County Prosecutor has decided to dismiss the Burglary charges against him and file amended charges in Knox City Court.
Ewing was allegedly involved in burglary incidents in the Koontz Lake area in March of 2010. Two others involved in the incidents, Zachary and Ian Bastin, plead guilty to seven counts of Burglary and were sentenced to 15 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections on those counts last year.
Following a physical confrontation in a bar in July 2010, Niki Hochstetler was found guilty of Battery, a Class C Felony; and Battery as a Class A misdemeanor after allegedly stabbing Eric Amore at the Country Roads Bar and Grill in Walkerton last July. The two charges were merged with a recommended sentence of four years in the Department of Corrections.
Hochstetler received her sentence Thursday in the Starke Circuit Court. Judge Kim Hall said he felt her aggravating factors and mitigating factors were of equal weight, but her attitude, the fact that she has the support of her family, and her good standing with the home detention program worked in her favor.
Hall sentenced Hochstetler to two years to be served in the Department of Corrections, with two years of probation following her release. She is also required to complete a batterer’s intervention program following her release to probation, and she was credited for the 60 days she has spent in jail. With good behavior, and considering her 60 days credit, Hochstetler is expected to be released in ten months.
When Hall mentioned her mitigating and aggravating factors, he said that her only mitigating factor was that the victim, Amore, refused emergency medical treatment, and instead, returned to the bar.
“That, to me, says a great deal about the entire event,” said Hall. “Had the victim been treated, or taken to the hospital, airlifted, or even died, you’d be looking at a very different set of circumstances.”
Ryan Taylor and Kenneth K. Wallace will be in Starke Circuit Court today to face a charge of Arson as a Class D Felony. They will plead guilty or not guilty during their initial hearing this morning at 9:00 a.m. Continue reading
Several cases were discussed in the Starke Circuit Court yesterday, with some charges dismissed and others prepared for trial.
All charges were dismissed in the case of Rodger Griffin yesterday afternoon, who was charged with Battery as a Class C felony, Trespassing as a Class A misdemeanor, and Battery as a Class A misdemeanor. The state moved to dismiss all charges prior to his jury trial, which was scheduled for today. The trial will not take place. Griffin also has another case in the Starke Circuit Court that is set for trial in the future for charges including Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon.
Stacie Brown, who faces two felony charges in the death of her stepson Ethan on June 19th, made her initial appearance in Starke Circuit Court yesterday.
Magistrate Jeanene Calabrese entered a preliminary plea of not guilty for the defendant. She also delayed a request for a court appointed attorney to defend her.
The second day of the trial of Jack Haut in Starke Circuit Court ultimately ended in a verdict for one count of Reckless Homicide, a Class C felony after his truck struck the motorcycle of Tom White, killing him. After a brief deliberation, the 12-person jury returned with a guilty verdict, and Haut’s sentencing is set for August 17th at 11:00 a.m.
The trial for Jack Haut began yesterday in Starke Circuit Court with opening statements from both sides. Haut is charged with Reckless Homicide following an accident that occurred on July 2nd, 2010, when a white pickup truck Haut was driving collided with the motorcycle operated by Tom White, killing him instantly.
After being in jail almost a year under $150,000 bond, Jack Haut will be in Starke Circuit Court today to face a Reckless Homicide charge.
Haut is accused of causing the death of Thomas White, who was hit while on his motorcycle riding on State Road 35 north of Knox.
If convicted, Haut could receive anywhere from two to eight years on the Class C Felony charge.
Jack Haut’s trial is expected to begin on Wednesday in Starke Circuit Court. Haut is charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death and Reckless Homicide.
In July 2010, it is alleged that Jack Haut was driving his pickup truck on US 35 north of Knox when he swerved into the other lane and struck Thomas White of Knox head-on. White was riding a motorcycle at the time of the accident. White died from injuries sustained in the accident.
Several pretrial motions and instructions hearings were held in the Starke Circuit Court yesterday. Jeannie Brewer, charged with Battery as a Class D Felony and Attempted Violation of a Custody Order, made her appearance in court with her attorney Richard Ballard. The state requested a continuance in this case, because the responding officer, Dave Combs, would be unavailable for the trial. The state said that they would like to have Combs take the stand and testify as to the statement he originally received from the victim because the victim has changed his story several times. Judge Kim Hall granted this continuation, and the trial has been scheduled for August 10th at 9:00 a.m. with a pretrial motions and instructions hearing on August 9th at 9:00 a.m.
Friday was a busy day for the Starke Circuit Court as Magistrate Jeanene Calabrese set several dates for many of the cases that appeared before her. In one such case, a jury status hearing for Jack Haut, a pre-trial motion and instructions date was set for July 19th at 1:00 p.m. Haut is charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death and Reckless Homicide after his pickup truck collided with the motorcycle of Tom White last July, causing White’s death. Continue reading
