Steven O’Bryant on Trial in Starke Circuit Court

Steven O'Bryant

A man charged with child molestation is on trial in Starke Circuit Court this week.

Forty-three-year-old Steven L. O’Bryant is accused of molesting a juvenile while he stayed at that juvenile’s Starke County residence over the course of two months from March 30 to May 30. He pleaded not guilty to the charge in a previous court setting.

O’Bryant was released from the Department of Corrections on June 6, 2011, after serving time in another Starke County case where he murdered an elderly Knox woman 25 years ago, on Oct. 28, 1987. He was released from the Department of Corrections on parole June 27, 2011, and he was released from parole on Jan. 9 this year.

Since current Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall was the prosecuting attorney in that case, a special judge has been brought in for the trial. Special Judge John Marnocha from St. Joseph Superior Court will preside over the trial.

The jury is being seated today and the trial is expected to last through Friday.