Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Man’s guilty plea let’s him avoid trial
YOUNGSTOWN
A city man facing rape and kidnapping charges enters into a plea agreement with prosecutors minutes before the start of his trial.
Sanjuan Smith, 43, of Almyra Avenue, was set to go before a jury on two counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping, and felonious assault charges in the courtroom of Judge James C. Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Smith, this morning, opted instead to plead guilty to a reduced charge of attempted rape, kidnapping and felonious assault.
The plea agreement, however, did not make the victim in the case or Smith happy. Both people left the courtroom in tears Tuesday morning. Prosecutors will recommend a 10-year prison term.
For more on this story see Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com