CLARION – A Clarion man who had faced up to 25 years in prison for breaking an infant’s legs walked out of the Wright County Court House on Wednesday, January 9th, with a suspended jail sentence.
Clarion police were notified after Andrew Herbert Johnson, age 29, and Danielle Nicole Jorgensen, age 23, brought Jergenson’s 8-month-old infant into the Wright County Medical Center with multiple leg fractures.
The infant was immediately placed into foster care while police investigated. At the conclusion of the investigation, with the aid of trained medical staff, Johnson was charged with a class B felony count of child endangerment – multiple acts for allegedly abusing the infant on many occasions.
At a plea change hearing on Wednesday, January 9th, Wright County Attorney Eric Simonson motioned presiding District Court Judge Colleen D. Weiland to amend the original charge to a lessor class D felony of child endangerment – bodily injury as part of a plea bargain deal Simonson reached with Johnson.
Judge Weiland approved the plea bargain deal, and accepted Andrew Johnson’s plea of guilty to the lessor offense. Judge Weiland then fined Johnson the minimum $750 fine, $262.50 surcharge, and $746.09 in public defender fees. Judge Weiland then suspended a 5 year prison sentence, instead ordering Johnson to serve 2 years of probation with the Iowa Department of Corrections.
Danielle Nicole Jorgensen is scheduled to go on trial February 21st for an aggravated misdemeanor count of child endangerment – no injury. Police allege she knew about the ongoing abuse of her infant by her boyfriend Andrew Johnson, who is not the father, but failed to report it. Court records show the trial has been continued 4 times over the past year.
Weeks after their arrest Jorgensen filed a protective no contact order against Johnson alleging ongoing domestic abuse.
SUBJECT IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
SUBJECT IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
Where was daddy? Why didn’t he seek permanent custody before this happened? How come the dads leave it all up to mom Then complain when something happens?
@Katie, take the baby away from the rest of the family it’s bonded with? And mess it up psychologically some more? Take the baby from the abuser but not the entire family. Why do people always think taking kids away from it’s entire family unit is doing the child any good?
Let’s break his legs and then once they’re in a cast, I’d like to break them again.
This judge is a steaming pile of crap. She has some kind of deals going on under the bench obviously. Someone needs to give her five across the eyes.
This so called judge is out of control.
How is she out of control? Now before you answer, better be sure you have all the facts of the case, what evidence was presented, and what kind of defense was used.
Do you or anyone else have all the facts of the case? Or are you just speculating on what they might be?
I don’t know a single judge who bases legal decisions using comments blogged in a news web site.
Why have laws if you are not going to enforce them?
Imagine for a moment if the constitutional rights of an accused person were thrown out? Cases would be adjudged without counsel, without the ability to provide defense, without being able to question how evidence was procured, question court and legal procedure?
And most importantly, we must remember we are all treated the same before the law. Thus, what is good for you, is also good for the defendant in this particular case.
I am also willing to bet that if the scenario you put forth about her child, she would have to recuse herself. Something about laws and ethics.
The awareness of this judge and her lax sentencing, which now has reached a horrible new low, must be taken to the state or national level.
The process for this is simple, and entails a review of the cases and facts by qualified people. I am willing to bet cases of all judges are reviewed by their superiors on an on-going basis.
FACTS? They don’t care about facts. Facts screw up their hate agenda. Please don’t confuse them with facts.
I could be way out of bounds here, but when the charges are changed, through plea by the county atty, doesn’t she have to rule on that? If the county atty doesn’t have a strong enough case to convict and a plea change takes place, she can’t be held responsible for that.
Hold on to your hats…I saw on the news tonight that this judge is presiding over the current murder trial taking place in Mason City. This judge should absolutely be not presiding over a case of this magnitude.
She lets baby abusers free, so I’m sure this case won’t be much different.
GET WEILAND OFF OF THE BENCH!!! SHE IS A TERRIBLE JUDGE!!!
time for a petition to “oust” this Judge. She sounds like a habitual idiot
Is she not physically attracted to thugs? What else could it be?
I’ve done more time for a traffic violation. Hell she sent my family member to prison over a speeding violation…. But a baby breaker? Really?
This judge is beyond disgusting. I don’t know how she can sleep at night knowing all of the baby abusers, woman abusers, meth heads, thieves all let off with a slap on the wrist. Pray tell the time will come when she will be the recipient of one of the forementioned. I hope that judge is just as lenient. This is why these scum reoffend, they can get away with it as she has proven time and time again. Ladys whack, gotta be on some rx meds or something!
Worthless Weiland strikes again. Can she even sink any lower? PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE OUT THIS JUDGE AT THE NEXT ELECTION. WEILAND IS NOT A FRIEND TO WOMEN OR CHILDREN…SHE IS ONLY A FRIEND TO MALE CRIMINALS!!!
awwwwww. did she put your worthless meth head boyfriend away and you’re mad because she let the others go.
Maybe he didn’t do it. You people are so quick to throw the book at people. You all are heartless and push the blame on him. Good job by the judge.
Listen here Gma Jean don’t you have some wrinkles to go smooth!
Maybe this is another one of Grandma Jean’s family members that she’s sticking up for.
HAHAHAH…LOL..too funny. I just ignore Gma Jean. I’ve noticed she or he posts in favor of most things a reasonable person would find disturbing or bothersome. I think Gma Jean just does it to get people worked up. Let’s just ignore the old bag!
GMA Jean,
How are Jared and Brandon adjusting to the buttsex in the state pen? You keeping their books up to date with money for lube?
There is no place for a comment like that. It’s just rude, they’re really good boys and the media has made people like you who doesn’t even know them make stupid comments like that.
You still didn’t answer the question……
I don’t need to reply to you about Jared or Brandon since this story isn’t about them.
Sounds like that’s where your brain is located. Maybe that’s the kind of sex yo momma shoulda had.
im years late but i am his child and i was very young when he did this but he did do this. and he did abuse that baby on multiple occasions.. i was a witness to it all. i had been back and forth to his and the mothers apartment every other weekend while he was dating her.
I just don’t understand it. Can you imagine the pain this baby suffered? According to the article, it was MULTIPLE fractures. Stuff like this can affect a person far into adulthood. No one can handle long-term severe pain without some type of consequences.
The baby lived with her grandparents for 2 and 1/2 years. She now lives with her dad and sister across the street from her grandparents. Mom and her boyfriend did this and mom still hasn’t had her trial. Let’s pray she doesn’t have Judge Weiland also.
The baby lived with Grandma and Grandpa for 2 and 1/2 years. She now lives across the street from her grandparents with her father and sister. Mom and her boyfriend caused the abuse and mom still hasn’t went to trial for her part in it. Let’s say a prayer that Judge Weiland isn’t the judge in her trial.
The Wright County Attorney shares some of the blame as well. They are all responsible for what this guy does in the future. And don’t be so sure this baby won’t remember this abuse in some deep emotional way. I hope parental rights are terminated and it is adopted out to a nice family that will love it forever.
This really pisses me off as Ive seen people get a harsher sentence for riding their bike through a stop light. This so called judge is out of control. They are both wasted POS. Judge Weiland you cant be a normaol judge, its a good thing this baby wont remember any of this. “enough said”
This shit is out of control with judge weiland, between her and some of these other bleeding heart f**ks our country is doomed. Break a babys legs what kind of judge are you to let him walk, I bet the next time you hear about this guy it will be for a deadly assault. COWARD is what you are and I’m talking to you the leg breaker and to the so called judge. COWARDS
Put a bullet in his head.
Problem solved.
The awareness of this judge and her lax sentencing, which now has reached a horrible new low, must be taken to the state or national level. I’m all up for suggestions on how this can happen, but happen it must. This makes me sick to my stomach.
This judge has to go. What in the HELL is wrong with her? I am willing to bet if it was her child that was abused she would have thrown the book at this guy. Why have laws if you are not going to enforce them?