A Winter Haven businessman is moving closer to trial in a battery case involving allegations a young woman was groped while working at a downtown Winter Haven establishment.
James Franklin Knight has entered a not guilty plea in connection with the Oct. 30, 2025 incident, according to Polk County court records. A pretrial conference is scheduled for May 12 as the case advances.
According to a Winter Haven Police Department arrest affidavit, Knight allegedly reached across and groped a female employee by grabbing her breast without consent.
Investigators said the alleged incident was captured on video and collected as evidence. According to the affidavit, a coworker also witnessed the incident, and the woman later identified Knight in a photo lineup.
Prosecutors subsequently filed formal charges, and court records show the case has progressed through arraignment and multiple pretrial hearings as it moves toward a potential trial.
Knight is listed as a vice president at an insurance company, according to publicly available professional information.
The May 12 pretrial conference is the next scheduled court date.
Knight has denied the allegation through his not guilty plea. As with all criminal cases, the charge remains an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Knight was charged by affidavit and so no mugshot is available.
