A Carrollton man is heading to trial in December on charges of criminal sexual assault of a child.
23 year old Tanner L. Schofield appeared in Greene County Court last Friday for a status hearing. Schofield was charged with criminal sexual assault of a child on September 4th of last year after he allegedly touched a child under the age of 17 on or between August 13th and 15th of last year.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Appellate Prosecutor Lorinda Lamken due to a conflict of interest. The case is being heard in front of Macoupin County Judge Kenneth Diehl.
According to the Greene Prairie Press, Lamken, Judge Diehl, and Schofield’s defense counsel had a conflict on when to bring the case to trial. Diehl is acting as a mentor judge in Greene County until December for new sitting judge Zachary Schmidt. Lamken told the court last Friday that she was ready to go to trial as soon as possible.
Schofield’s defense counsel, based out of Clayton, Missouri, said they wouldn’t be ready until April 2022 due to several high-profile cases they are defending in St. Louis. Diehl said he would like to complete the case before the end of the year. The three sides eventually agreed to the date of December 20th as to the start of the jury trial.