An Ottumwa man accused of murder was found not guilty in a bench trial earlier this week.
33-year-old Joshua Michael was accused of first-degree murder, willful injury, and assault while participating in a felony and potentially faced life in prison without parole. Michael chose to have a bench trial, leaving his fate to a judge.
Michael was arrested in July 2024 in connection to the stabbing death of Jeffery Johns.
In his ruling on Monday, Judge Michael Carpenter said the prosecution did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Michael used unjustified deadly force during an altercation with Johns. Michael’s attorneys asserted their defendant killed Johns in self-defense.
Carpenter said the court found evidence that Johns, who was bigger and stronger, started the fight with Michael and Michael pulled out a knife several minutes into the altercation to defend himself. Additionally, Michael was holding a bad in one hand while trying to fend off Johns.
“The longer that Johns persisted in trying to harm Michael the greater the threat he represented to Michael’s safety throughout the fight. Michael defended himself fighting with only one hand while the other held his bag,” Carpenter said in his ruling.
Despite his acquittal, Michael remains in custody at the Wapello County Jail and faces charges in a separate case.
