An inmate at the Greene County Jail was accused of getting into a physical altercation with jail officers in December and was charged with battery with injury, a Level 5 felony, and battery by bodily waste, a Level 6 felony. Last October he was arrested after an altercation with an LPD officer. Now he’s accused of battery to jail officer in another altercation this month. In court yesterday, he declined a public defender and said he will represent himself.

Kevin Douglas Johnson, 47, a former resident of Linton, is an inmate at the Greene County Jail where he allegedly attacked a jail officer on Monday, February 8, between 4-4:30 p.m.

GCSD Deputy Michael Coy was dispatched late that afternoon to investigate the incident. Jail staff told him the officer did not require medical attention but his lip was split open.

Johnson was in a holding cell when he allegedly cocked his arm for a punch in an assault on the officer. Deputy Coy reported that when he viewed video of the incident, he saw that when another jail officer entered the cell to assist, Johnson’s arm was around the first officer’s neck and the second officer was able to remove Johnson’s arm from the other officer’s neck. A third officer then entered the cell and Johnson was restrained.

Deputy Coy attempted to interview Johnson but Johnson said he had nothing to say. However, he did say he wanted to go to “RDC” or prison intake and that he had been beaten up in the jail by an officer a few months earlier. Johnson said he didn’t need to discuss anything because it was all on camera.

A new criminal case was filed against Johnson and when he appeared in Greene Superior Court yesterday, Monday, February 22, he was charged with:

• Battery with bodily injury to a public safety officer, a Level 5 felony.

A public defender was not appointed because during the hearing, Johnson told the judge that he intends to represent himself in this case.

Johnson currently has two other criminal cases pending against him and hearings were held yesterday in both those cases as well as the newest case. Johnson had requested that a new public defender be appointed to represent him but those motions were denied by the court.

Johnson then told the judge he would represent himself. Johnson was advised that he would be held to the same standards as an attorney and proceeding on his own could be to his disadvantage. Johnson said he still intended to represent himself.

To find other stories involving Johnson that have been previously posted on GreeneStreets, click the Tag “Kevin Douglas Johnson” below this story.