BY GREGORY A. HALL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON -- The case of Shawnta Robertson, the suspect being chased by Covington Police Officer Mike Partin when he fell to his death, is now in Kenton Circuit Judge Steve Jaeger's court.
The misdemeanor charges Mr. Robertson faces from the night of the chase were transferred Thursday to circuit court, where he faces a felony manslaughter charge.
Police were chasing Mr. Robertson across the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge on Jan. 4 when Officer Partin was called to assist. The 25-year-old officer was trying to jump from the roadway to the bridge's walkway when he fell into the river.
His body was found this month west of the Anderson Ferry, 9 1/2 miles from where he fell. He was buried last Friday.
The misdemeanor charges against Mr. Robertson are disregarding a traffic control device, possession of marijuana and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs.
Mr. Robertson is due to finish his term at the Hamilton County Jail for a probation violation on Sunday. Kenton County has a warrant for him, meaning he will stay there until an extradition hearing. If extradition isn't waived, his transfer to Kentucky could take 90 days.
"That decision will be up to Mr. (Ken) Lawson (the suspect's attorney), and he needs to talk with Shawnta," said Bridget Hofler-Saunders, who represented Mr. Robertson on Thursday.
Bill Crockett, the chief prosecutor in district court, said he decided to send the misdemeanor charges to the higher court so the manslaughter charge wouldn't be jeopardized.
Pleading guilty to the misdemeanors could have blocked prosecution on the felony because both stem from the same set of circumstances. The flip side is that if Mr. Robertson were found innocent of manslaughter, prosecution of the misdemeanor charges could be blocked.
