Potential jurors questioned on death penalty WATCH THE VIDEO
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
"This is the death penalty. This is life or death for Wes Coonrod," defense attorney Jerry McHenry said to potential jurors Tuesday.
Attorneys for the defense and the prosecution questioned potential jurors in Highland County Common Pleas Court on their general feelings on the death penalty, whether or not they would be able to weigh mitigating and aggravating factors during a potential sentencing phase; and, if it fell in the parameters of the law, if they felt they would be able to sentence someone to death.
In the second day of jury selections in the trial of Wesley Coonrod - who could face the death penalty if convicted of charges of aggravated murder - another 50 jurors were brought in to fill out questionnaires, while jurors who reported Monday began the voir dire process, where attorneys questioned them on their answers and their opinions.
Judge Rocky Coss told the attorneys prior to the questioning process they were to ask on "topics, not specifics."
Coonrod, 42, of Greenfield, is facing two counts of aggravated murder, with specifications they are capital cases; one charge of aggravated arson, a felony of the second degree; two counts of murder, unclassified felonies; two counts of child endangering, felonies of the third degree. He was arrested following the March 7 fire on Lafayette Street in Greenfield that claimed the lives of his two sons, Thomas Coonrod, 4, and Stephen Coonrod, 3. He is being held at the Highland County Justice Center on a $1 million bond.
He is represented by attorneys McHenry and William Mooney of Columbus. The state is represented by Jim Grandey and the Highland County Prosecutor's Office.
Potential jurors were brought in five at a time to be questioned by Coss and the attorneys.
Several potential jurors were also excused for various reasons, including work conflicts that would impact their livelihood, health reasons, age, a professed inability to impose the death penalty, and prior knowledge of the case.
During the mitigation process, which would take place only if Coonrod is found guilty of a charge of aggravated murder with the death penalty specification, jurors will be presented with additional testimony they must weigh in deciding Coonrod's penalty. There are four possible sentences including the death penalty, life in prison without parole, life in prison without the possibility of parole until after 30 full years, life in prison without the possibility of parole until after 25 full years.
One potential juror, who said he knew several witnesses who may be called to testify, said he had on one occasion heard a potential witness comment on the case, with regard to the sentencing.
That potential juror was questioned outside the presence of other jurors and he told the court that potential witness allegedly said that knowing the alleged facts of the case, he did not know why the defendant had not "pleaded out" in order to avoid the death penalty.
When the potential juror left the courtroom, Mooney challenged if that potential juror should be seated, saying, "We didn't know if he knew a plea had been offered or not."
Grandey had no objection to disqualifying the potential juror.
Additionally, the potential jurors were asked if they could weigh mitigating and aggravating factors, such as testimony from a psychologist, or factors stemming from Coonrod's childhood, if they should have to decide a penalty.
Coss told the potential jurors that discussing the penalty phase prior to the trial seems unusual, as during a normal proceeding it would not be discussed.
"The paradox for us is that we have to talk about punishment before the trial phase," Mooney told potential jurors. We have to do that even though we presume we will never get there."
As the potential jurors were questioned on matters such as whether or not they believe the death penalty should always been imposed if a person commits murder, if it should never be imposed, or if their opinions were somewhere in between, Mooney said that the potential jurors were somewhat at a disadvantage. Mooney said that the attorneys understood that these could be difficult questions and most likely they had not extensively thought about the matter.
"There are no right or wrong answers," he said. "The only wrong answer is an answer that is untruthful."
Also on Tuesday, a motion was filed by the state and later granted by Coss regarding a potential material witness in the case. The witness was arrested on a material witness warrant on Friday, and Tuesday the state filed a motion to have him released on his own recognizance. The condition of the bond is that he appear in Highland County Common Pleas Court to testify
during the trial.
"This is the death penalty. This is life or death for Wes Coonrod," defense attorney Jerry McHenry said to potential jurors Tuesday.
Attorneys for the defense and the prosecution questioned potential jurors in Highland County Common Pleas Court on their general feelings on the death penalty, whether or not they would be able to weigh mitigating and aggravating factors during a potential sentencing phase; and, if it fell in the parameters of the law, if they felt they would be able to sentence someone to death.
In the second day of jury selections in the trial of Wesley Coonrod - who could face the death penalty if convicted of charges of aggravated murder - another 50 jurors were brought in to fill out questionnaires, while jurors who reported Monday began the voir dire process, where attorneys questioned them on their answers and their opinions.
Judge Rocky Coss told the attorneys prior to the questioning process they were to ask on "topics, not specifics."
Coonrod, 42, of Greenfield, is facing two counts of aggravated murder, with specifications they are capital cases; one charge of aggravated arson, a felony of the second degree; two counts of murder, unclassified felonies; two counts of child endangering, felonies of the third degree. He was arrested following the March 7 fire on Lafayette Street in Greenfield that claimed the lives of his two sons, Thomas Coonrod, 4, and Stephen Coonrod, 3. He is being held at the Highland County Justice Center on a $1 million bond.
He is represented by attorneys McHenry and William Mooney of Columbus. The state is represented by Jim Grandey and the Highland County Prosecutor's Office.
Potential jurors were brought in five at a time to be questioned by Coss and the attorneys.
Several potential jurors were also excused for various reasons, including work conflicts that would impact their livelihood, health reasons, age, a professed inability to impose the death penalty, and prior knowledge of the case.
During the mitigation process, which would take place only if Coonrod is found guilty of a charge of aggravated murder with the death penalty specification, jurors will be presented with additional testimony they must weigh in deciding Coonrod's penalty. There are four possible sentences including the death penalty, life in prison without parole, life in prison without the possibility of parole until after 30 full years, life in prison without the possibility of parole until after 25 full years.
One potential juror, who said he knew several witnesses who may be called to testify, said he had on one occasion heard a potential witness comment on the case, with regard to the sentencing.
That potential juror was questioned outside the presence of other jurors and he told the court that potential witness allegedly said that knowing the alleged facts of the case, he did not know why the defendant had not "pleaded out" in order to avoid the death penalty.
When the potential juror left the courtroom, Mooney challenged if that potential juror should be seated, saying, "We didn't know if he knew a plea had been offered or not."
Grandey had no objection to disqualifying the potential juror.
Additionally, the potential jurors were asked if they could weigh mitigating and aggravating factors, such as testimony from a psychologist, or factors stemming from Coonrod's childhood, if they should have to decide a penalty.
Coss told the potential jurors that discussing the penalty phase prior to the trial seems unusual, as during a normal proceeding it would not be discussed.
"The paradox for us is that we have to talk about punishment before the trial phase," Mooney told potential jurors. We have to do that even though we presume we will never get there."
As the potential jurors were questioned on matters such as whether or not they believe the death penalty should always been imposed if a person commits murder, if it should never be imposed, or if their opinions were somewhere in between, Mooney said that the potential jurors were somewhat at a disadvantage. Mooney said that the attorneys understood that these could be difficult questions and most likely they had not extensively thought about the matter.
"There are no right or wrong answers," he said. "The only wrong answer is an answer that is untruthful."
Also on Tuesday, a motion was filed by the state and later granted by Coss regarding a potential material witness in the case. The witness was arrested on a material witness warrant on Friday, and Tuesday the state filed a motion to have him released on his own recognizance. The condition of the bond is that he appear in Highland County Common Pleas Court to testify
during the trial.