Murder suspect’shearing delayed

Judge denies mistrial request
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Burrows’ lawyer: Jury info seen
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JURY SELECTION CONTINUES IN MURDER TRIAL

By Sherris Moreira-Byers
Herald Staff Writer

Trumbull County Judge Andrew Logan Tuesday denied a defense motion to declare a mistrial in the case of Scott Burrows, the Hubbard man accused of killing his elderly neighbors.

Logan is presiding over the trial of Burrows, 19, of 3447 Broadway Ave., on two charges of aggravated murder, kidnapping, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary in Warren.

Burrows and Mark Worley, 21, of Youngstown, are charged with stabbing to death Dorothy M. London, 74; kidnapping and killing her husband, Charles, 75; and burglarizing the couple’s Broadway Avenue home in December. Burrows could face the death penalty if convicted. Worley will be tried separately in September.

In his motion, public defender Anthony Consoldane said deputy sheriff Howard Reel looked at a paper with names of prospective jurors that Burrows took with him into jail.

“I had notes of jurors on that paper of who we want and don’t want,” Consoldane said. “There is a close relationship between the deputy sheriffs, the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office, and the county prosecutor’s office,” he said. County prosecutor Dennis Watkins could have an unfair advantage if he learned of the information, Consoldane argued.

“I have absolutely no knowledge of this. I resent the idea that we would be involved in something like that,” Watkins replied.

Deputies Keel and Darby Vaughn both told Logan it is the sheriff’s policy to inspect anything that goes in and out of jail with an inmate.

“There could have been potential jurors’ numbers or addresses on that paper, and he (Burrows) can’t have that information,” Reel said.

Vaughn said that they also checked the paper for staples, because a potential weapon could be made from them.

Watkins suggested that Consoldane go over the paperwork with Burrows before his client returns to jail, so that he doesn’t have to take anything with him.

“We asked Consoldane to take the papers, but he said his client needed them,” Reel said. Logan told Consoldane there were “no grounds to suggest that your client’s rights were adversely affected,” but directed the deputy sheriffs to say nothing about the paperwork to the prosecution team.

Both sides are aiming for a smaller jury pool of 35, down from 165 last week on the first day of jury selection, to get their 12 jurors, and four alternates and leave room for grand jury challenges.

“We consider 35 an optimum number in case someone needs excused for some reason,” Consoldane said.

Attorneys and the judge asked potential jurors if they could follow the letter of the law and give a verdict of death or life in prison depending upon aggravating circumstances versus mitigating factors.

Logan said jury selection should finish by Thursday with opening arguments starting at the beginning of next week.

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Murder suspect’s hearing delayed

Murder suspect’shearing delayed