JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A man facing charges in two separate slaying appeared before a judge Thursday on accusations of sexually assaulting a corrections officer. Jonathan Tave, 26, pleaded not guilty to sexual battery and 10 other charges connected to the attack of a female corrections officer in the jail's law library on April 17. The veteran officer was "viciously sexually assaulted" in attack that went on for an hour. She was hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries after the assault.
Tave, who listed on the jail's Web site as 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 230 pounds, left the law library and got to the mezzanine level before he was apprehended. Extra security was in the courtroom for Thursday's arraignment. "You never know when these violent criminals will lash out," prosecutor Julie Schlax said. After the assault, Tave was sent to the Baker County Jail, but after hara**ing other inmates, was returned to Duval County, where officials said he is being kept in a special section of the jail. Tave's lawyer said Tave wants to be moved again. "He has made representations to me that he would like to be relocated to another jail," attorney Michael Bossen. "I am looking into that for him." When the attack occurred, Tave was awaiting trial on a charge of murder in the death of Cedric Henry during a carjacking attempt in January 2005. Tave also faced charges of arson, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by convicted felon, and battery on detention officer. This week, prosecutors charged Tave with another homicide: the 2004 slaying of Willie T****lin. Investigators said they believe Tave was the gunman and that the shooting took place in Arlington during a deal to sell the T****lin a piece of stereo equipment. Four years later, Tave was linked T****lin's death through DNA evidence. T****lin's mother said she has heard about Tave's background -- the alleged sexual assault at the jail and the other murder charges he's facing -- and she hopes Tave will finally pay. "It makes me feel good to know that the legal end is going to come to a close because they do have the person who did it, but it will never be closed to me," Sheila T****lin said. Channel 4's Adam Landau said Tave is tentatively scheduled to be tried this summer on the 2005 murder charge. The trial on the sexual assault and beating of the corrections officer is scheduled for October. He could face up to life in prison if convicted of those charges.