Johnson County sheriff to be tried again after retaliation charge mistrial, DA says
Johnson County District Attorney Tim Good will try again to secure a conviction in the case against county Sheriff Adam King, Good told the Cleburne Times-Review.
“We’ll just wait for the next trial,” Good told a reporter after the first attempt ended in a mistrial. “There will be a next trial.”
Initial proceedings against King ended in a hung jury last week after 14 hours of deliberation. Jurors indicated that they were hopelessly deadlocked, with one panel member telling Judge John Wilson Weeks that no amount of further deliberation could change his mind.
The nearly three-week trial focused on King’s alleged retaliation against Chief Deputy James Saulter.
Saulter was placed on administrative leave shortly after King found out Saulter had reported him to the Texas Rangers for allegedly sexually harassing a female employee, Anna Goodloe, according to evidence presented at trial. The chief deputy was later fired earlier this year after failing to show up for a mandatory internal affairs interview, according to testimony.
Aside from the one juror who voted not guilty, 11 others voted in favor of convicting King on the charge of corrupt influence retaliation against a witness, Saulter told reporters shortly after the declaration of a mistrial. Saulter’s emotional testimony consumed nearly two full days of trial.
“We just have to live with what our justice system is, and I’m good with that,” Saulter said.
The defense has argued that Saulter was disciplined for spreading rumors about King having sex with a former office manager.
King’s attorney Bill Mason said after the mistrial that the defense had been confident there would not be a conviction. He said defense attorneys will review what they could do better in order to prepare for the next trial.
A date for a new trial has not yet been scheduled, according to court records.
A judge allowed King to return to work following his August 2025 indictment, but he was ordered to avoid contact with witnesses in the case.
If convicted on the retaliation, King faces a possible prison term of two to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000. Other charges in the indictment, including a count of abuse of office/official oppression related to sexual harassment, are pending and also could be tried at a later date.
