Sharonville Man Charged in Assault of Terminally Ill Woman

A 47-year-old Liberty Township man is facing felony charges after he allegedly punched, kicked and struck a terminally ill woman with a chair during an assault in Sharonville. Kenneth Forrester is accused of leaving the woman with lacerations and a broken nose, and of threatening to kill her. According to WKRC, Forrester appeared in court on allegations that he assaulted the woman, who is described in court papers as terminally ill. The station reports that Forrester is accused of punching and kicking the woman, then using a chair as a weapon against her, in addition to allegedly threatening to kill her. Booking logs reviewed by BustedNewspaper list booking details dated September 7 for Forrester, with charges of felonious assault, assault and aggravated menacing. Court papers do not indicate whether Forrester and the woman knew each other, the station's report notes, leaving unclear whether the two had any prior relationship. That detail remains an open question as the case moves forward. Felonious assault, one of the charges Forrester faces, is a second-degree felony under Ohio Revised Code § 2903.11, according to the Botnick Law Firm. The charge applies to knowingly causing serious physical harm or attempting harm with a deadly weapon, and it carries a potential prison term of two to eight years along with fines of up to $15,000. Objects such as chairs can be classified as deadly weapons under Ohio law depending on how they are used, per the same firm. Forrester also faces an aggravated menacing charge. Forrester has appeared in court in connection with the charges. It remains unclear whether additional charges, such as domestic violence or caretaker-related enhancements, could be presented to a grand jury as the case progresses. Sharonville, where the alleged assault occurred, is a suburban city of roughly 14,000 residents, sitting primarily in Hamilton County with a smaller portion in Butler County, per Wikipedia. Forrester was identified as a Liberty Township man. Census estimates cited by the Zimmer Law Firm show that adults aged 65 and older make up more than 17% of Sharonville's population, underscoring the presence of older and medically vulnerable residents in the community. The article does not establish whether any enhancement applies in this case. This is not the only violent assault case Sharonville police have handled this year. In a scissor attack case reported by Hoodline in May, a Sharonville man was charged with felonious assault and aggravated burglary after allegedly attacking a neighbor. Statewide, Adult Protective Services agencies across Ohio receive tens of thousands of referrals annually regarding potential harm to vulnerable adults, according to the Ohio Attorney General. Whether Forrester has entered a plea in the case has not been reported, and the charges against him remain allegations that have not been proven in court. His next court dates and any decision on whether the case will be presented to a grand jury have not yet been reported.