jriddle@thealpenanews.com
News Photo by Julie Riddle
Defendant Nathan Benton waits to hear testimony about accusations he sexually assaulted a child during a court hearing in Alpena on Thursday.
ALPENA A man accused of sexually assaulting a child heard accusations from his alleged victim in Alpena’s 88th District Court on Thursday.
During a preliminary exam at which a judge decides if there is enough evidence for a case to continue to trial a 10-year-old girl described repeated sexual abuse by Nathan Benton, now 36, when the girl was around 8 years old.
The News does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.
Police officers aren’t mental health counselors.
Still, they are daily asked to intervene in mental health crises, which could mean anything from violent outbursts to alien-conspiracy-theory mania crises for which police get only limited training, Alpena County Sheriff Steven Kieliszewski said.
If a crime has been committed, officers can choose to make an arrest or take someone to the hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Other times, though, the person in crisis isn’t altered enough to go to the hospital, doesn’t qualify for services through Community Mental Health, and hasn’t committed a crime.
Police are left with no options but to calm the situation and then leave, frustrated they have little more to offer, Kieliszewski said.
ALPENA Circuit Court Judge Ed Black on Monday refused to release Jeremiah McLean from jail.
McLean, 23, is accused of kidnapping and raping a 15-year old girl in a makeshift cabin behind the Evergreen Cemetery in Alpena. He also faces other charges related to the alleged incident.
He faces up to life in prison.
McLean’s attorney, Ron Bayot, cited the state’s “180 day rule,” as one reason his client should be released.
The Constitution gives defendants the right to a speedy trial, and Michigan’s speedy trial rules allow those in jail for 180 days without going to trial to be released. It wasn’t immediately clear how many days McLean has been in jail.