Jury chosen in child sex abuse trial | Testimony is expected to begin today

Cornell Witcher
Cornell Witcher

NEW BOSTON, Texas - A jury of eight women and four men was chosen Tuesday for the trial of a man accused of child sexual abuse.

Testimony is expected to begin Wednesday morning at the Bowie County courthouse in New Boston in the trial of Cornell Ladell Witcher, 36. Witcher is facing a single count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14. The offense is punishable by 25 to 99 years or life in prison, and there is no parole from any sentence imposed.

The case was reported to the Bowie County Sheriff's Office in July 2018 and the alleged victim, then 10, was forensically interviewed at the Texarkana Children's Advocacy Center. The girl reported that Witcher assaulted her multiple times at her home and that he had access to her house because he was dating her older sister.

Witcher allegedly threatened to harm the girl if she told anyone of his misconduct.

Witcher has been held in the Bowie County jail since his arrest in 2018. His bail is set at 150,000.

Witcher is represented by Assistant Public Defender Clayton Haas. First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp and Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards are prosecuting. Presiding over the trial is 202nd District Judge John Tidwell.

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