Dayton defense attorney L. Patrick Mulligan said the case against Turner was weak, arguing that investigators had virtually no proof who assaulted the girl in May 2021 at Rohrers Farm Park, 724 Rohrer Blvd., in Riverside.
Turner spent 2½ years in jail after he was indicted for rape of a child younger than 10, felonious assault and child endangerment, the charges for which Skelton reached a not guilty verdict that was filed Thursday.
“This is an unbelievable tragedy and it’s a failure of the system on multiple parts, and thank God we had a judge who could see that,” Mulligan said. “I think that people don’t fully appreciate how lucky we are to have the court system we do. When you are singled out, indicted, particularly for a sex crime, everyone automatically assumes guilt,” he said.
The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement in response to the verdict and Mulligan’s comments.
“The defendant’s attorney’s comments are unfortunate, and frankly insensitive, given the severity of the injuries suffered by the 2-year-old child victim in this case,” the prosecutor’s office said. “The defendant, after being made aware of the evidence against him and while represented by counsel, voluntarily waived his right to a speedy trial at the outset of the case in 2021.”
“This case was thoroughly investigated by the Riverside Police Department after the 2-year-old child sustained severe injuries while in the care of this defendant‚” the prosecutor’s office said. “The matter was then presented to the grand jury for review, which resulted in an indictment. At the request of the defendant, this case was tried to a judge, not a jury. The state stands by the evidence we presented in court and firmly believes the evidence was sufficient to prove the defendant’s guilt. We, as well as the victim’s family, are extremely disappointed by the verdict.”
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