The now former Linton Police Officer and K-9 handler, Joseph Riley, who has been accused of domestic battery in the presence of a child under 16 years old, which is a Level 6 felony charge, has retained the Bloomington-based criminal defense attorney Samuel Shapiro, who was a former prosecutor in Morgan County and boasts 40+ years of law experience.
The special prosecutor appointed in the case will be Stanley M. Levco, a 1971 IU School of Law graduate, who served as a former Vanderburgh County Prosecutor. This is an interesting pick because many times a special prosecutor is much closer to “home” a la the adjacent county; nonetheless, Levco has taken on special prosecutor appointments throughout the State of Indiana.
It should also be noted that in a related LPD case, Levco has also been appointed the special prosecutor in the case against Adam King, a Linton Police Officer accused of falsifying his police report to cover up his alleged aggressive arrest and abuse of a man that ultimately led to a dismissal of all charges.
As for Riley, a “not guilty” plea has been entered and a jury trial has been demanded by the Defendant thus far. A hearing on September 8th, 2021 has been scheduled where the Defendant has been demanded to appear.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available…