Jury finds suspect in abuse case not guilty
Maurice Johnson still faces charge of indecency with child
NEW BOSTON, Texas—A Bowie County jury returned a not guilty verdict Thursday morning in the case of a man accused of inappropriately touching the daughter of a woman he used to date.
Maurice Johnson, 41, did not testify during his trial, though portions of a videotaped interview with Texarkana, Texas, police was played for the jury. Johnson denied any wrongdoing.
“It was a hard case for the jury to decide. It was based on he said, she said, allegations,” said Bowie County Chief Public Defender Rick Shumaker. “The jury set aside their personal beliefs and feelings and felt they had a reasonable doubt as to his guilt.”
Clayton Haas, who defended Johnson with Shumaker, said he believes justice was served.
“We appreciate the jury for following the law. We felt that, based on the evidence presented, there was reasonable doubt and the jury reached the correct verdict in thisw case,” Haas said.
But Johnson is not clear of all charges. He was tried this week for allegedly touching a girl when she was 13 between October 2016 and March 2017. Johnson is accused of touching the girl’s younger sister, then 11, during the same time period and a charge of indecency with a child by sexual contact in
that case remains pending.
Both girls and their younger brother, now 10, testified during the trial this week before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell.
After deliberating for about two hours Wednesday evening, the jury sent Tidwell a note stating they were deadlocked. Tidwell instructed the jury to continue discussing the case before placing them in an evening recess with instructions to return Thursday morning.
A date for Johnson to be tried on the remain charge has not been scheduled.