In a Memphis courtroom, James Boothe, accused of discarding an infant's body in a dumpster, has entered a plea of not guilty to numerous charges. As reported by Action News 5, Boothe is facing charges that include the promotion of prostitution of a minor, continuous sexual abuse of a child, trafficking, and aggravated statutory rape. During a recent court appearance, Boothe, who is represented by a public defender, entered his plea and was scheduled to return to court on April 22.
The legal developments follow an earlier indictment against Boothe after a newborn was found in a dumpster behind a Whitehaven business. Although the charge of abuse of a corpse was dismissed "due to lack of prosecution," as mentioned by FOX13 Memphis, the Shelby County District Attorney's Office continued to assess the allegation for potential indictment. Court records indicated, a bond of $1 million has been set, pending Boothe's next court appearance.
The charges Boothe faces are connected to his alleged relationship with a 16-year-old girl, a relationship that was brought to light in the aftermath of the infant's discovery in January. The Shelby County District Attorney's Office has moved forward with indicting Boothe on two counts of trafficking for a commercial sex act, among other accusations — as obtained by WREG. During the court session, Boothe also indicated that he was financially unable to retain private counsel, leading to his assignment of a public defender.
Police revealed that before the incident, Boothe had been with a teenage girl who had just given birth. Investigators said the teenager had been involved with Boothe for three years, as per WREG. A video showing Boothe at a Whitehaven gas station became important when the newborn was found dead in a dumpster.
