Miss-Delectable
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Ohio.com - Judge to issue verdict to deaf man Sept. 3
A Summit County judge will announce his decision early next month in the long-running murder case of an Akron man who cannot hear or speak, authorities said.
Jerron W. Johnson, 24, is charged with the rape and murder of an Akron woman, the sexual assaults of two other women, an unrelated voyeurism charge and other offenses. His was tried before Summit Common Pleas Thomas A. Teodosio.
Teodosio took the matter under advisement after last week's closing arguments and will announce his decision in court at 1 p.m. Sept. 3, a court official said Monday.
In July 2008, Teodosio ruled Johnson was competent to stand trial. The Akron man had undergone years of American Sign Language training while in custody at a state mental institution.
Johnson was 17 years old and a special education student at Firestone High School when he was arrested in 2003 in the aggravated murder of Jean Zienka of Akron.
Zienka, 45, was raped and strangled, prosecutors said.
Johnson also was charged with the sexual assaults of two other women in 2001 and 2002 and a voyeurism charge involving a 13-year-old girl in 2003.
Proceedings in Teodosio's court were relayed to Johnson, who waived his right to a jury trial, by four sign-language interpreters.
Johnson faces a sentence of life in prison if he is convicted.
A Summit County judge will announce his decision early next month in the long-running murder case of an Akron man who cannot hear or speak, authorities said.
Jerron W. Johnson, 24, is charged with the rape and murder of an Akron woman, the sexual assaults of two other women, an unrelated voyeurism charge and other offenses. His was tried before Summit Common Pleas Thomas A. Teodosio.
Teodosio took the matter under advisement after last week's closing arguments and will announce his decision in court at 1 p.m. Sept. 3, a court official said Monday.
In July 2008, Teodosio ruled Johnson was competent to stand trial. The Akron man had undergone years of American Sign Language training while in custody at a state mental institution.
Johnson was 17 years old and a special education student at Firestone High School when he was arrested in 2003 in the aggravated murder of Jean Zienka of Akron.
Zienka, 45, was raped and strangled, prosecutors said.
Johnson also was charged with the sexual assaults of two other women in 2001 and 2002 and a voyeurism charge involving a 13-year-old girl in 2003.
Proceedings in Teodosio's court were relayed to Johnson, who waived his right to a jury trial, by four sign-language interpreters.
Johnson faces a sentence of life in prison if he is convicted.