43
Jury: Woman is not guilty of abuse
By John W. GOODWIN JR.
YOUNGSTOWN
Photo
Iindie Weatherly
A jury has decided that a 20-year-old Austintown woman is not responsible for injuries to an 87-year-old assisted-living patient three weeks before his death.
Iindia Weatherly, 20, of Staatz Drive, was on trial before a jury in the courtroom of Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for two days. She had been charged with patient abuse, a fourth-degree felony that carries a possible six- to 18-month prison term.
The jury deliberated for a short time Wednesday before returning a not guilty verdict on the charge. Neither prosecutors, nor Attorney Mark Lavelle, representing Weatherly, would comment following the decision.
Prosecutors said Weatherly was upset because she was not permitted to work overtime, and she caused a commotion at the Sateri Homes residence on Boardman-Canfield Road on July 30, 2009.
The reported victim, Donald Oliver, came to the kitchen area of the facility where Weatherly was standing to see what the commotion had been about, prosecutors said.
The prosecution said Weatherly ultimately struck Oliver with the kitchen door, knocking the elderly man to the ground, then punched him.
Lavelle said Weatherly was trying to stop Oliver from entering a particular door in the kitchen, as was company policy, when the two struggled over the door. He said Oliver pulled the door after Weatherly had let it go, and Oliver fell to the ground, causing his injuries.
Weatherly had initially agreed to a plea deal and pleaded guilty to the charges, but after continually claiming her innocence judge Krichbaum did not accept the plea and the matter was taken to trial.