Man found guilty for sexual assault of a child; jury deliberating punishment
Published 7:06 pm Wednesday, July 13, 2022
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A jury is deliberating the punishment phase in the trial of a 41-year-old man found guilty of sexually assaulting a child.
Jonathan Davis, 41, received the guilty verdict in Judge Raquel West’ courtroom Wednesday.
Deliberations in the punishment phase began at 2:30 p.m.
Davis was found guilty for aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child for assaults that occurred on or around June 11, 2016.
Authorities believe the assaults occurred in Beaumont.
During closing arguments, defense attorney Marvin Lewis Jr. worked to sow doubt in the testimonies of eight individuals who took the stand Tuesday.
Lewis noted an adult close to the case had been the victim of sexual abuse as a child and did not notice any red flags in connection with Davis.
This person did not initially believe the victim, Lewis said, until the child underwent an interview at the Garth House.
Lewis noted that the victim’s testimony Tuesday had inconsistencies; she never described the clothing she was wearing and it would have been physically impossible for the assault to have occurred according to the description of where the two were laying.
Prosecutor Tatiana Zelezniak reminded jurors the case is not about the adult and whether she believed the victim, it is about the guilt of Davis.
Davis has ties to Port Arthur and Louisiana.
Zelezniak also noted the victim was consistent in her testimony. The crime occurred in 2016 and the outcry was made in 2019. The prosecutor read from the child’s original statements when she was interviewed by the Garth House and a sexual assault nurse examiner.
Deliberations on the punishment phase resume Thursday.