Cellphone evidence to be used against Columbia man in trial

A Columbia man is expected to be in court at 9 a.m. Monday, facing charges of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and first-degree attempted sexual abuse.

Joanthony Johnson, 27, was first arrested in February 2016 in connection with sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl.

In November 2016, police said they found evidence of possible multiple sexual assaults on Johnson’s cellphone.

During Johnson’s pretrial last week, the prosecutor and defense attorney debated the use of the cellphone videos as evidence.

The judge ruled on Wednesday the cellphone footage can be used as evidence.