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YOUNGSTOWN -- A Mahoning County jury today is expected to get the case of Butler V. Johnson, 30, of Magnolia Avenue, who is being accused of raping two girls.
Judge Anthony Donofrio of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court is expected to charge jurors sometime today after they hear from a prosecution witness who is expected to rebut an expert defense witness who refuted the results of a polygraph taken by the defendant and administered by a state highway patrol trooper.
The jurors on Wednesday heard the case of defense attorney Lynn Maro who called witnesses who tried to support Johnson's insistence he did not commit offenses against the girls. Included was Johnson's mother.
In her opening, Maro said jurors should watch for the number of times the "critical elements of the case continue to change.
"That should raise ... red flags for you," Maro told jurors.
Maro also called an expert who challenged the results of a polygraph administered to Johnson last fall by trooper Jack Reno at the Southington post.
As their final witness, prosecutors called Reno to the stand to talk about the five hour test and the manner of questions the trooper presented to the defendant.
Reno testified that deception was indicated in the polygraph under questioning about the sexual offenses.
During cross examination, Maro got Reno to admit it is not a lie detector test.
"I don't make it a habit to call people liars, but when we have deception detected (on the polygraph), then we have something to talk about," Reno said.
Maro also asked and Reno denied the fact that Johnson wearing a facemask would alter the results.
Johnson was indicted on three rape counts, two counts of attempted rape, eight counts of gross sexual imposition and single counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
He is accused of committing many of the offenses between early 2014 and early 2019 when the victims were less than 13-years-old. Many of the offenses are also alleged to have taken from 2014 to 2020, with most taking place in early 2019, according to court records.
If convicted on the rape charges, Johnson could get more than 30 years in prison.