Jury deliberations begin in emotionally charged child sex abuse trial of Henderson County man

By Charles Perez

Click here for updates on this story

    BREVARD, North Carolina (WLOS) — A Transylvania County jury began deliberations Monday, July 24, 2023, in the trial of a Henderson County man charged with multiple counts of child sexual abuse.

Johnathan Jessi McKinney, 36, is accused of abusing three underage girls as far back as 2013.

Both sides wrapped up their arguments Monday in what’s been an emotional trial, and, according to attorneys and the judge, a verdict is likely to come Tuesday.

McKinney, who is out on bond, is facing a total of 23 charges, including statutory rape, indecent liberties with a minor, felony child abuse and first-degree sexual exploitation.

The prosecutor asked the jury to convict McKinney and send a message.

“Someone does that to your grandchildren – children – or anything, they need to be put away,” one victim’s grandmother said.

But the defense attorney argued McKinney did not commit the crimes.

McKinney did not want to comment on the case.

But his father, Johnathan McKinney, thinks the younger McKinney can get a fair trial if the jury listens to the whole story.

“If they look at all the evidence, but they didn’t but they won’t,” he said.

At about 4:15 p.m. Monday, jurors asked to see some of the evidence, including emergency room/hospital reports and photos of where the alleged abuse took place.

Now, it’s up to a jury to decide.

And the families of the victims and the defendant wait.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.