Shaun McGhee In Criminal Obstruction Case Gets Case Dismissed

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 6270

Posted by: RStokes
[email protected]
3347901729
Date: Apr 04 2019 10:42 PM

HOUSTON COUNTY:   The week of criminal jury trials in Houston County Circuit Court.

On trial before 20th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Butch Binford was Jervinisky Keon Young.

Young was charged with Obstructing Justice - False Identity.

On August 25, 2017 Young got off work from Burger King on the eastside of Ross Clark Circle. Young had no driver license and got a ride from a friend. That friend went by Johnson Homes to change before carrying Young home.

After leaving Johnson Homes and a traffic violation caused Dothan Police Officer Tranham to make a traffic stop on the vehicle. The officer obtained information from the driver and asked Young his name.

This is where the facts were in dispute started.

The officer was alleged to have asked Young his name. He said his name was Keon.

The allegations in the arrest warrant were the officer specifically asked his "first name". The officer ran the passenger Young's name in the computer and a Jervinisky Keon Young had an outstanding child support warrant at Houston County.

Young testified that his name tag from Burger King reads "Keon". 

Young was taken into custody on the Child Support Warrant and arrested for Obstructing Justice by giving a false name - because the officer alleged he asked specifically for his "first name". The allegations in the arrest warrant were that Keon was given because of the outstanding arrest warrant.

Defense Attorney Shaun McGhee represented Young in the case. McGhee said the Young went by Keon and that was the name he gave the officer. Not in any attempt to deceive but that was his name.

Defense Attorney Shaun McGhee asked the officer what his ( McGhee's ) name was. He said Shaun McGhee.

McGhee said no, actually Shaun was his middle name and his first name was different.

At the close of testimony 20th Judicial Assistant District Attorney Seth Brooks did what was right. Before closing remarks Brooks moved the court to dismiss this case. Judge Binford granted that motion.

It was not a bad reflection on the officer or on cases he makes. But sometimes when a officer makes an arrest he is not made aware of the totality of the facts of the situation. But as the evidence came out in trial, and McGhee did an excellant job of establishing those facts, Brooks made the right call. 

 

<- back