A civil jury in Middletown Superior Court ruled Thursday against Portland horse trainer Robert Johnson, who was accused of assaulting a boy at the horse stables more than 20 years ago.
Johnson had been previously convicted by a jury on two felony counts in criminal court in May 2001 in front of Judge Patrick Clifford, and he served time in prison in a case involving a 14-year-old girl. The 14-year-old, who testified at the trial, had viewed Johnson as a father figure at the riding academy. She had been the top-ranked showhorse rider in Connecticut and ranked among the top 15 in the nation in her age group.
Nine years later, the girl’s mother testified earlier this month in the latest trial in Middletown against Johnson.
The Hartford Courant’s veteran court reporter, Alaine Griffin, has details at http://www.courant.com/community/middletown/hc-equestrian-verdict-0415,0,920172.story