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	Case to Change Venue By John Ford Neosho Daily News December 21, 2007 http://www.neoshodailynews.com/news/x531352764 Neosho, Mo. - A change of venue has been granted to a Granby pastor accused of child sexual abuse. The trial for George Otis Johnston will move to Vernon County on a change of venue from Newton County. According to Bill Dobbs, Newton County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, the trial will begin July 14. A week has been set aside for the proceedings, which will take place in Nevada, Dobbs said. "We anticipate it will go a little shorter than that," Dobbs said. "But it could easily go four days." Johnston, the pastor of Grandview Valley Baptist Church, faces 17 felony charges, including nine counts of first degree statutory sodomy, six charges of second degree statutory sodomy, and two counts of first degree child molestation. The charges were refiled in May by theNewton County Prosecutor's office as a way to combine two separate cases against Johnston. In 2006, a young woman alleged Johnston had molested her as a child, beginning when she was 8 years old and continuing until she left the Granby commune shortly after her 17th birthday. Later, her older sister came forward with allegations Johnston had also sexually abused her when she was a child. She testified some of the alleged contact took place while the pastor was supposed to be tutoring her in algebra. o o o Trial is under way for an area city marshal charged with misdemeanor animal abuse. The trial for Noel City Marshal Ellsworth "Ozzy" Amos began Thursday in McDonald County. Amos is accused of failing to provide adequate food and water for two dogs in the City of Noel's animal shelter between Aug. 1 and Aug. 14. A city employee found the dogs dead in the animal shelter Aug. 14. During opening statements, special prosecutor Sarah Luce Reeder said Amos was ultimately responsible for the well-being of the dogs at the city shelter, under the mandates of a city ordinance. However, defense attorney Robert Evenson said the situation was a misunderstanding, and city officials were simply searching for a scape goat. Documents released by McDonald County Sheriff Don Schlessman indicate there may have been some miscommunication over who was to care for the dogs. Documents indicate Wendy Deaton, a volunteer with the Explorer post, and her son had been feeding and watering the dogs at the animal shelter until approximately July 31, when she was told by one of Noel's deputy marshals that another marshal, Daniel Gardner, was to take the dogs to Neosho to be destroyed the next day. However, Gardner said he was unable to take the dogs to Neosho that day to be euthanized, as his hours had been changed from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. to midnight to 8 a.m. He added he didn't have a key to the pens, nor did he know that care of the dogs had ceased. Testimony in the case is expected to continue today. The case has garnered the attention of PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a national animal rights organization.
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