Prosecutor: Coonrod to be retried
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
The Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey's Office filed documents Monday indicating that they intend to retry Wesley Coonrod on two charges of murder and one count of aggravated arson. They will not seek the death penalty.
Earlier this month, the 42-year-old Greenfield man was found guilty to two counts of third-degree felony endangering children. After four days of deliberations, the jury was hung on two charges of murder, with death penalty specifications; aggravated arson, and two counts of murder.
The aggravated arson charge is a second-degree felony, and the two murder charges are unclassified felonies.
"The state contends that these three counts were the subject of a hung jury and are ripe for resolution," according to court documents.
Coonrod was indicted by a grand jury in April, following the March 7 fire at his apartment on Lafayette Street in Greenfield that killed his two children, Thomas, 4, and Stephen, 3.
The state had alleged Coonord set the fire, using an accelerant and a cigarette lighter. The defense had alleged one of the children could have set the fire.
During the trial proceedings, Coonrod had been represented by William Mooney and Jerry McHenry - attorneys from Columbus who have received death penalty defense certification. During a pretrial hearing held Oct. 15, Coonrod requested new counsel. Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss ruled that at least one of the attorneys must stay on for continuity.
This week, Coss appointed Mt. Orab attorney Michael Kelly to represent Coonrod.
Coss said that to his knowledge, there is no difference between the reimbursement rates for the court-appointed attorneys.
The court is still compiling the cost of the first trial. Coss said that some estimates have the figure around $100,000, but there are several factors that have not been determined. Coss is yet to rule on a request of approximately $27,000 for fire investigation fees on behalf of the defense.
Coss said that the jury fees were an estimated $9,000, and it cost around $9,100 to house the jury while they were sequestered during deliberations. Ohio law requires jurors deliberating a capital case to be sequestered.
If a new trial is held, it would begin after the holiday season, on Jan. 3, Coss said.
A pretrial hearing will be held Nov. 5 at 1 p.m.
The Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey's Office filed documents Monday indicating that they intend to retry Wesley Coonrod on two charges of murder and one count of aggravated arson. They will not seek the death penalty.
Earlier this month, the 42-year-old Greenfield man was found guilty to two counts of third-degree felony endangering children. After four days of deliberations, the jury was hung on two charges of murder, with death penalty specifications; aggravated arson, and two counts of murder.
The aggravated arson charge is a second-degree felony, and the two murder charges are unclassified felonies.
"The state contends that these three counts were the subject of a hung jury and are ripe for resolution," according to court documents.
Coonrod was indicted by a grand jury in April, following the March 7 fire at his apartment on Lafayette Street in Greenfield that killed his two children, Thomas, 4, and Stephen, 3.
The state had alleged Coonord set the fire, using an accelerant and a cigarette lighter. The defense had alleged one of the children could have set the fire.
During the trial proceedings, Coonrod had been represented by William Mooney and Jerry McHenry - attorneys from Columbus who have received death penalty defense certification. During a pretrial hearing held Oct. 15, Coonrod requested new counsel. Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss ruled that at least one of the attorneys must stay on for continuity.
This week, Coss appointed Mt. Orab attorney Michael Kelly to represent Coonrod.
Coss said that to his knowledge, there is no difference between the reimbursement rates for the court-appointed attorneys.
The court is still compiling the cost of the first trial. Coss said that some estimates have the figure around $100,000, but there are several factors that have not been determined. Coss is yet to rule on a request of approximately $27,000 for fire investigation fees on behalf of the defense.
Coss said that the jury fees were an estimated $9,000, and it cost around $9,100 to house the jury while they were sequestered during deliberations. Ohio law requires jurors deliberating a capital case to be sequestered.
If a new trial is held, it would begin after the holiday season, on Jan. 3, Coss said.
A pretrial hearing will be held Nov. 5 at 1 p.m.