DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Jermaine Long, the man accused of two brutal attacks on the Daytona Beach boardwalk on Valentine’s Day, appeared in court Thursday morning at the Volusia County Justice Center.
Long, a registered sex offender, is accused of hitting a man with a sledgehammer at a 7-Eleven on Atlantic Avenue on Feb.14.
About ten hours later, police said he also slashed a 13-year-old’s throat near the Slingshot ride on the Daytona Beach Boardwalk.
Long walked into the courtroom wearing an orange jumpsuit and spoke directly to Judge Weston during a pretrial detention hearing focused on the sledgehammer case.
He agreed to remain in jail without bond until his case is resolved.
His newly appointed attorney, Steven Robinson, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
“Not guilty, and that’s how we’re going to proceed, in his best interest, to remain in jail,” Robinson said after the hearing.
The judge also granted the state’s request for DNA swabs.
Prosecutors have filed formal charges on the sledgehammer attack, but not yet on the separate boardwalk slashing case.
We spoke with Robinson right after the hearing, and he said his client is staying calm while facing serious allegations.
“Well, he seems to be pleasant. He seems to be pleasant. His demeanor is calm,” Robinson told us.
Robinson emphasized that Long maintains his innocence.
“My client has indicated that he’s innocent, and that’s what we’re going to believe he’s innocent. So he’s saying that he didn’t do it,” Robinson said.
What’s Next:
- Sledgehammer case: Pretrial hearing set for April 1 at 9 AM
- Boardwalk slashing case: Arraignment scheduled for March 10, unless prosecutors file charges before then
Long will remain behind bars for both cases.
Jail records show Long had been out of jail for only four days before the Valentine’s Day attacks.
Police responded to three calls about him that same day, including a trespass warning at a home earlier that morning.
The State Attorney’s Office says it is reviewing a January incident involving Long at the same 7-Eleven, where charges were previously dropped.
In that case, he was accused of pulling out a knife and an eight-foot pole at a man.
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