Through his counsel, Maxwell Hunt Winkler has requested that his case be set for a hearing to change his plea. The cause had been set for a jury trial to begin on January 19, 2016. His request states that "this case will be resolved by a plea agreement and should be set for Guilty Plea Hearing." The Defendant has been requested the hearing be held on January 7, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. Further details will be neither provided nor discussed until the hearing has been held.
Mr. Winkler remains held at the Hamilton County Jail.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. In this case, the Defendant has merely asked for a change of plea hearing; he must still be afforded his presumption of innocence until and unless a conviction is entered -- be it through trial or a court-accepted admission.
