FAYETTEVILLE -- The trial of a 20-year-old Springdale man accused of being involved in the jail rape and torture of a mentally challenged cellmate was reset Wednesday in Washington County Circuit Court.
J'Donta Britt is charged with two counts of accomplice to rape, accomplice to second-degree sexual assault, accomplice to battery and accomplice to terroristic threatening for the December 2013 incident.
Circuit Judge Mark Lindsay reset the case to July 7 and 8. Britt recently got a new attorney, Kent McLemore.
Britt's co-defendant, Javaughntaiye Jamar Willis, 22, was convicted in November of two counts of accomplice to rape, accomplice to second-degree sexual assault, accomplice to battery and accomplice to terroristic threatening. Willis, who already had three violent felony convictions, was sentenced to two consecutive 60-year terms at the Arkansas Department of Correction.
The 19-year-old victim said Willis and Britt slapped, punched and kicked him and cut him with a razor blade. He said they threatened to cut off his pinkie finger if he didn't comply or if he reported the abuse to authorities.
Willis forced the victim to perform oral sex and a manual sex act, according to testimony.
The abuse ended when another inmate told guards.
Willis testified he beat and tortured the victim, but denied any sexual acts occurred.
Britt is serving a 30-year prison term after he was convicted for his role in a brutal beating and robbery that left the victim brain damaged and partially paralyzed for life.
NW News on 02/12/2015