Cole County assessor will get new judge in assault case
Cole County Associate Circuit Judge Cotton Walker stepped aside voluntarily ahead of the arraignment of Cole County Assessor Chris Estes, who is charged with misdemeanor assault.
Estes was scheduled to face a formal reading of charges Tuesday in Cole County court, related to an incident on June 20.
Walker cited his professional relationship with Estes as the reason for his recusal.
In addition to the public office he holds in Cole County, Estes is a former Jefferson City police officer.
He is accused in a probable cause statement of hitting a man in the chin over a property line dispute.
Estes told ABC 17 News he plans to plead not guilty once his case is assigned to a new judge.
That assignment will be made by Cole County Presiding Judge Patricia Joyce.
Both the assessor and his attorney, Daniel Dodson, told ABC 17 News they expect the court to exonerate Estes once all the evidence is presented to an impartial judge.
