Johnson found competent to stand trial
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
Whitney Johnson has been found competent to stand trial, as she appeared before Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss Thursday afternoon for a hearing on a psychiatric evaluation.
As previously reported in The Highland County Press, Johnson and Nathan Ritze were both indicted on charges of murder in a five-count indictment issued by a Highland County grand jury Tuesday, Aug. 6.
In separate indictments, Johnson and Ritze were each charged with murder, an unclassified felony; involuntary manslaughter, a felony of the first degree; child endangering, a felony of the third degree; tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree; and abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree.
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Johnson, 26, and Ritze, 25, had previously been charged with abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree, and tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree, in a case involving Johnson's infant son being buried on a Diven Road property.
The court received an evaluation performed by psychologist Dr. O'Donnell, which, according to Coss, states that Johnson is competent to stand trial.
Johnson and Ritze will both appear in court for a final pretrial Nov. 20 at 10 a.m., with a trial date scheduled for Dec. 9 at 8 a.m.
As previously reported in The Highland County Press, Johnson and Nathan Ritze were both indicted on charges of murder in a five-count indictment issued by a Highland County grand jury Tuesday, Aug. 6.
In separate indictments, Johnson and Ritze were each charged with murder, an unclassified felony; involuntary manslaughter, a felony of the first degree; child endangering, a felony of the third degree; tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree; and abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree.
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Johnson, 26, and Ritze, 25, had previously been charged with abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree, and tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree, in a case involving Johnson's infant son being buried on a Diven Road property.
The court received an evaluation performed by psychologist Dr. O'Donnell, which, according to Coss, states that Johnson is competent to stand trial.
Johnson and Ritze will both appear in court for a final pretrial Nov. 20 at 10 a.m., with a trial date scheduled for Dec. 9 at 8 a.m.