Case summaries

This column includes a sampling of the cases WATCH volunteers have monitored in recent months.

TROY LAMONT CLAY and JACQUELYN WANDA WILLIAMS

Clay, 39, and his girlfriend, Williams, 32, were charged with first degree assault, third degree assault, and malicious punishment of a child for abusing Williams’s six-year-old son.

Statements given to police by the victim’s mother and 10-yearold brother confirmed that Williams asked Clay to discipline the six year-old for misbehaving at school. In response, Clay tied the child’s arms together with a phone cord and repeatedly beat him with an extension cord.

The victim was admitted to the hospital for overnight observation. An emergency room pediatrician documented extensive injuries to the child’s back and arm, as well as internal injuries.

Williams pleaded guilty to third degree assault, and the other two charges were dismissed. Judge John Stanoch stayed the imposition of her sentence and placed her on supervised probation for three years with extensive conditions, including anger management, psychological evaluation/treatment, parenting classes, and no contact with the victim unless permitted by the family court judge. The prosecutor was Deborah Russell, and the defense attorney was Justin Seurer.

Troy was convicted by a jury of third degree assault and malicious punishment of a child. Judge Susan Robiner sentenced him to 36 months in prison stayed for three years. He was placed on supervised probation with extensive conditions, including anger management or parenting classes, no contact with the victim or his brother, and no use or possession of weapons. The prosecutor was Deborah Russell, and Hersch Izek was the defense attorney.

In a related case, Hennepin County Child Protection Services moved Williams’s sons to protective custody after police found extensive bruising on the older child and received reports that Clay had repeatedly beaten both children. The county subsequently moved to terminate Williams’s parental rights to the children.

LAFARE NMN JOHNSON

Johnson, 57, was charged with felony third degree assault for assaulting his girlfriend. The victim told police that Johnson had punched, kicked, and stomped on her the previous day and would not allow her to leave her home. Witnesses saw Johnson push the victim down and kick her.

Johnson pleaded guilty, and Judge David Duffy sentenced him to 21 months in prison stayed for three years. He was ordered to serve 159 days in the workhouse with credit for 91 days served and placed on supervised probation with extensive conditions, including complete programs for chemical dependency, anger management, and domestic abuse; have no contact with the victim; and do not use or possess weapons. The prosecutor was Stuart Shapiro, and the defense attorney was Juanita Kyle.

SHAWN MICHAEL KUTA

Kuta, 34, was charged with felony second degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually abusing the five-year-old daughter of a friend with whom he had been temporarily living. After her daughter told her that Kuta had put his hand inside her underwear and tickled (sic) her, the girl’s mother called police. Further details of the abuse were revealed during the investigation, which included a forensic psychologist’s interview with the victim.

Kuta pleaded guilty to an amended charge of fifth degree criminal sexual conduct, a gross misdemeanor. Judge Robert Small stayed imposition of his sentence and placed him on supervised probation for two years with the following conditions: 21 days in the workhouse with credit for 21 days served; chemical dependency evaluation/treatment; supply a DNA sample; no alcohol/controlled substance use; no contact with the victim or the victim’s family; no unsupervised contact with minor females; complete sex offender treatment; psychological evaluation/treatment; register as a predatory offender; and remain law-abiding. Daniel Homstad was the prosecutor, and Cynthia McCollum was the defense attorney.

JAMES EDWARD REED (AKA CARL SHUMAN ANDERSON)

Reed, 32, was charged with second degree murder for killing an acquaintance. Officers were called to the Lakeland Hotel after the manager found the victim unresponsive in their hotel room. According to the criminal complaint, a guest in another room reported hearing a woman screaming and sounds of a fight. When the staff went to investigate, they mistakenly went to another room and found no disturbance. The autopsy revealed that the victim died from multiple cuts to her throat. Reed was later arrested in Chicago.

Reed was convicted by a jury, and Judge Small sentenced him to 480 months in prison with credit for 273 days already served. He was ordered to supply a DNA sample, pay restitution, and register as a predatory offender. Stuart Shapiro was the prosecutor, and David Connor was the defense attorney.