Short clips of graphic video showing a man and a teen engaging in sex in front of others during a party last year in Butler were played for a jury on the first day of a trial in which a then-27-year-old man is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.

James Howard-George, 29, of Butler is facing felony charges of statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse with a person under 16 years old and corruption of minors, and a misdemeanor charge of indecent assault of person under 16 years old. The charges were filed by Butler City police following the May 7, 2021 party in a North Washington Street apartment.

The trial began Wednesday, Dec. 7, afternoon and will resume Thursday in county Common Pleas Court before Judge Timothy McCune.

One witness, Cage Hindman, now 19 years old, who is a friend of the 15-year-old girl, testified that he believed the sexual activities were consensual, and that the girl consumed a lot of alcohol and smoked marijuana at the party. He said Howard-George walked around naked and was asking for oral sex during the party. Hindman admitted to drinking alcohol at the party.

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