Assaulter case goes to grand jury

The case against Jonah A. Locke, the suspect in a series of assaults in Oberlin over the last few months, was taken to the Lorain County grand jury on Wednesday. The indictments which may result from the grand jury have not yet been released.

A group of seven Oberlin victims went to the grand jury. According to one of the victims, they were reminded of their statements before they left Oberlin, and after they arrived they were briefed on what to expect once they were called in to testify.

It is the job of the grand jury to decide if there is enough evidence to bring a case against the suspect. Locke will be formally charged as a result of the grand jury hearing.

The victim said that the women were called in to testify one at a time. After taking an oath, they sat around a table with the members of the grand jury as they described their experiences. "It was a pretty relaxed atmosphere," she said.

After the victims told their stories, the jury members could ask them questions.

According to arresting officer Sergeant Lody of Brecksville, Ohio, Locke has been moved to Cuyahoga County Jail. He spent about a week in the Brecksville Jail. Lody said the reason for this was to allow the 14 police departments that needed to question him easier access.

Lody described the attack that led up to the arrest. "It was a similar incident of fondling a young lady," he said. On the day before the arrest and the day of the arrest, the alleged assaulter attacked women in Oberlin, Medina and Kent. He sustained scratches on his face from a previous attack. The Kent victim could not identify the suspect because of these marks.

The Brecksville police then received the teletype from the Oberlin attack, and figured out it was the same man and went to his residence in Lakewood for the arrest.

According to Lody, Locke confessed to the "numerous attacks" but not to a rape some police officers believe he may have committed.

"He's locked up on $25,000 bond. He's just sitting in jail having a good old time," Lody said. "He ate good and said he slept good."

Lody believes that the charge of sexual imposition, the charge being pursued for most of the attacks, is too weak. "He's been arrested nine, 10 times and they're charging him with sexual imposition," Lody said. "First he was just flashing, now he is molesting them, next it will be rape, then murder. So therefore my theory was to hell with him."

To get around this, Lody hoped that the Brecksville charges will be changed to kidnapping and abduction. He said, "He obstructed her freedom, and if he can prove differently, then great for him."

Related Stories:

Two more assaults occur in January (2/9/96)
Assualt suspect finally arrested (3/1/96)