|
|
| Jail officer is acquitted of sexual battery |
| By The Vindicator |
| Published: 04/05/2004 |
|
A former Trumbull County (Ohio) jail corrections officer acquitted of seven counts of sexual battery says he wants to work in the field again - but not here. Walking out of the Trumbull County Courthouse, wearing a dark suit and a huge smile, John Clutter said he is hoping to once again have the career of his choice. "I went to school and trained to be a corrections officer, and that is what I want to do, but I don't want to go back there," Clutter said, as he pointed across the street at the county jail. "I've been working at a factory job." Clutter resigned at the jail in January 2003, the day he was to take a polygraph test. The test was scheduled after female inmates accused him of giving them candy bars in exchange for sexual acts. The inmates said the sexual acts with Clutter took place in December 2002. The inmates said Clutter would take them to a closet area where, officials said, there are no security cameras. "The first thing I plan to do is sleep," Clutter said. "I haven't slept since this started over a year ago. I just feel great." Attys. Phil Vigorito and Joseph Vingle, who represented Clutter, said they believe the jury did a good job. Diane Barber, an assistant county prosecutor handling the case, declined to comment. The jury, which heard the case all week, deliberated about four hours before returning the verdict. "He took it to trial, and he won," said Sheriff Thomas Altiere, who declined to comment further. A female juror said the lack of physical evidence was one of the reasons the jury found Clutter innocent. During closing arguments, Barber told the jurors that Clutter chose victims carefully and made sure the women were people who had been in jail, had drug problems and would not be believed. Vigorito, however, said his client was a target because he was strict with the inmates. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think