In-person hearings and jury trials may resume soon as the Cache County courts are expected to move back to a “yellow” phase after around nine months in “red.”
By Jackson Wilde & The Herald Journal
• May 18, 2021
A preliminary hearing was set on Monday for a man accused of kidnapping and burglary in the 1st District Court.
Joshua Eric Johns, 31, was charged in April with first-degree aggravated kidnapping, first-degree aggravated burglary, third-degree assault and four additional charges.
During his appearance in court on Monday, Judge Angela Fonnesbeck set Johns to appear on June 14 for a preliminary hearing to determine probable cause for the charges.
An affidavit filed with the court states two witnesses told Logan City Police officers of “a woman screaming for help.” One witness, police wrote, told officers Johns seized the alleged victim “by the throat and pushed her into a vehicle.”
A Providence middle school teacher charged after allegedly assaulting students made his initial appearance in 1st District Court on Monday.
Scott D. Meeker, 50, was charged last month with second-degree child abuse and four counts of class-B assault.
Meeker was set to appear before the court again on June 1, allowing prosecutors and defense counsel to prepare for a preliminary hearing in the matter.
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During the appearance, Judge Angela Fonnesbeck also granted a motion to amend Meekerâs pretrial release conditions. The order allows Meeker to attend family and religious functions including âend-of-year school activitiesâ involving members of his own family provided he is âaccompanied by a responsible adult.â
Two former owners of the Nyman Funeral Home appeared in 1st District Court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday, where a judge found probable cause for the charges leveled against them.
Lonnie Kent Nyman, who appeared via video call from the Utah State Prison, faces five second-degree felonies: pattern of unlawful activity, unlawful dealing by a fiduciary, communications fraud, theft by deception, and financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.
Kent Lloyd Nyman, who appeared in person for the proceeding, faces three second-degree felonies: pattern of unlawful activity, unlawful dealing by a fiduciary and communications fraud.
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Lonnie and Kent each entered pleas of not guilty to the charges and were set to appear for a status conference on June 1 as jury trials in the 1st District are still postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions.