Deferred adjudication in Rogers assault case

January 11, 2013, 3:20 pm by Adam Troxtell

Johnnie B. Rogers (right) and his attorney Richard Davis make their way out of the courtroom Friday after Rogers was given deferred adjudication for an assault charge.

Former state Republican Party leader Johnnie B. Rogers has been given deferred adjudication on an assault charge that was lowered from a felony to a class A misdemeanor in a 33^rd District Court hearing Friday.

Rogers will serve a probationary period of six months during which he must complete an anger management course, 50 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine for assaulting Burnet Bulletin reporter James Walker at a Republican Primary watch party in May of last year.

The ruling comes as prosecutor pro-tem Bill Turner, former District Attorney for Brazos County, decided to lower the charge from a felony to a class A misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in county jail and a fine of up to $4,000. Turner said the charge was lowered because he felt it was the proper application of the law. Rogers, 63, had been indicted on a felony charge because the victim, Walker, is over the age of 65,

"We feel it is the intent of the law to apply when you target a person because they are elderly,” Turner said. He said because both men were in their 60s, evidence he gathered showed it was a basic assault case.

For the full story, see Tuesday's Highlander.