Request for waived hearing rejected
Staff writer
A judge has rejected a request by a Marion man charged with 12 counts of aggravated indecent liberties with children and one count of battery to have a preliminary hearing he waived in 2017.
The trial of Jerry Thouvenell, charged in February 2017, has been postponed 11 times.
Ten of those times were while he was represented by lawyer David Leon, whose license was suspended Dec. 10 for, among other things, repeatedly delaying trials.
Trial was again delayed after it was learned Leon was being investigated for alleged ethics violations. That delay was to give Thouvenell’s new lawyer, Kevin Loeffler, time to prepare.
Loeffler filed a motion Nov. 15 seeking a preliminary hearing on the charges.
Judge Mark Braun ruled Dec. 16 Thouvenell knew what he was doing when he waived preliminary hearing on the charges.
Thouvenell’s trial is scheduled to begin March 29 and last 12 days.
Thouvenell’s alleged crimes occurred from Jan. 1, 2012, to Aug. 8, 2016.