Johnson County sheriff's criminal trial set to start a day after jury is seated

A jury of 12 people and one alternate has been seated, meaning the criminal trial for Johnson County Sheriff Adam King is set to begin Tuesday.

The trial begins at the justice center in Cleburne, located about 51 miles south of Dallas, following a postponement last month.

What charges does King face?

King, who is 57 years old, is accused of retaliating against a female employee who filed a human resources complaint against him for sexual harassment. He was arrested last August on charges of abuse of office and corrupt influence.

Months later, in October, King was indicted for perjury, for allegedly lying under oath in grand jury testimony.

An indictment filed last year claims that King made comments of a sexual or harassing nature, including that she must "disrobe" before he would sign any documents. He also allegedly tried to get her home address "knowing the fact would cause a reasonable person to feel harassed, terrified, intimidated, alarmed or tormented," according to the indictment.

The indictment also states that after the woman King's alleged violations to the Texas Rangers, he threatened to handcuff "and book her into the county jail."  

King, who is married, is still in office. He was elected sheriff in 2016 and is currently serving his third term. He previously served as commander of the South Texas Officers and Prosecutors Human Trafficking Task Force.

The sheriff's office said King voluntarily placed himself on administrative leave in light of the indictment.

King also allegedly threatened Chief Deputy James Saulter, who reported the allegations, a violation of the whistleblower act, the indictment says. Separately, King fired Saulter in May for alleged policy violations. Saulter was scheduled to testify against King in the trial.