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Do IT this week: Layering
By Ed Meyer
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 09:26 p.m. EST, Nov 23, 2009
The man who pleaded guilty to aggravated murder in the 2008 shooting of Twinsburg police officer Joshua Miktarian has a new set of attorneys — his fifth.
Kerry M. O'Brien and John W. Greven of Akron have been appointed to represent Ashford Lamar Thompson, 25, in his capital murder case, Summit County court records show.
A status hearing in Thompson's case has been scheduled for Dec. 18 before Common Pleas Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer.
With a new defense team in place, it is possible Thompson could seek to vacate his guilty pleas and ask for a jury trial on all of the original charges in his July 2008 indictment.
That would mean the case would be back at square one.
Greven declined to comment on which direction the case will take, citing a gag order Stormer issued to parties on both sides.
Thompson pleaded guilty in April to aggravated murder with numerous death penalty specifications. The pleas were made before a three-member panel of Summit County judges, with Stormer presiding.
After six months of delays on issues both the defense and prosecution raised, Thompson's sentencing hearing on the death penalty charges was scheduled for Nov. 12.
But his fourth set of lawyers, Eddie Sipplen and Annette L. Powers, withdrew from the case on the night of Nov. 10 after a three-hour meeting in Stormer's chambers. A record of the proceedings was sealed in another of the judge's orders.
Sipplen stated in court filings that he and Powers were withdrawing because of ''the total breakdown of the attorney/client relationship, which cannot be repaired.''
Miktarian, a 33-year-old married father with an infant daughter, was fatally shot after stopping Thompson's car outside his Twinsburg residence early on July 13, 2008.
Thompson was stopped under suspicion of drunken driving and for loud music.
Evidence agreed to by both sides for the filing of Thompson's guilty pleas established that Miktarian was shot five or six times, and that four shots struck him in the head.
Thompson was arrested at his sister's home within an hour of the shooting. He has been held at the county jail since then in lieu of a $5 million bond.
Ed Meyer can be reached at 330-996-3784 or emeyer@thebeaconjournal.com.
The man who pleaded guilty to aggravated murder in the 2008 shooting of Twinsburg police officer Joshua Miktarian has a new set of attorneys — his fifth.
Kerry M. O'Brien and John W. Greven of Akron have been appointed to represent Ashford Lamar Thompson, 25, in his capital murder case, Summit County court records show.
A status hearing in Thompson's case has been scheduled for Dec. 18 before Common Pleas Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer.
With a new defense team in place, it is possible Thompson could seek to vacate his guilty pleas and ask for a jury trial on all of the original charges in his July 2008 indictment.
That would mean the case would be back at square one.
Greven declined to comment on which direction the case will take, citing a gag order Stormer issued to parties on both sides.
Thompson pleaded guilty in April to aggravated murder with numerous death penalty specifications. The pleas were made before a three-member panel of Summit County judges, with Stormer presiding.
After six months of delays on issues both the defense and prosecution raised, Thompson's sentencing hearing on the death penalty charges was scheduled for Nov. 12.
But his fourth set of lawyers, Eddie Sipplen and Annette L. Powers, withdrew from the case on the night of Nov. 10 after a three-hour meeting in Stormer's chambers. A record of the proceedings was sealed in another of the judge's orders.
Sipplen stated in court filings that he and Powers were withdrawing because of ''the total breakdown of the attorney/client relationship, which cannot be repaired.''
Miktarian, a 33-year-old married father with an infant daughter, was fatally shot after stopping Thompson's car outside his Twinsburg residence early on July 13, 2008.
Thompson was stopped under suspicion of drunken driving and for loud music.
Evidence agreed to by both sides for the filing of Thompson's guilty pleas established that Miktarian was shot five or six times, and that four shots struck him in the head.
Thompson was arrested at his sister's home within an hour of the shooting. He has been held at the county jail since then in lieu of a $5 million bond.
Ed Meyer can be reached at 330-996-3784 or emeyer@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Akron, Oh
Posted 10:04 PM, 11/23/2009
You are kidding me!!!!! He is guilty.....fry em!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Stow, OH
Posted 10:04 PM, 11/23/2009
I am wondering if the headline for ths story is correct. Mr. Thompson is no longer a suspect. He has been found guilty and is awaiting sentencing. If his guilty verdict is vacated, then he would go back to being a suspect. "Murderer gets new set of lawyers" would be one possible alternate wording.
Akron, oh
Posted 06:53 AM, 11/24/2009
these new attorneys are the best in the area. However the evidence will speak for itself and this cop killer will still be convicted.
I hope this social parasite gets the needle he well deserves
akron, oh
Posted 07:42 AM, 11/24/2009
He can have all the lawyers he wants, but there will only be one needle with his name on it.
Posted 08:49 AM, 11/24/2009
He is costing us taxpayers more money. Wish the cops would have taken care of him when they had the chance.
Posted 09:02 AM, 11/24/2009
Can we 'accidentally' release him..and 'accidentally' let TPD know he is out? That will take care of him!
Posted 09:11 AM, 11/24/2009
I'm not sure how this could go back to "square one"?
He plead guilty...then went to the sentencing phase. I could see new lawyers for sentencing, but, no reason to go back to "square one".
If no judge panel misconduct, etc, why a new trial?
Akron, , OH
Posted 09:15 AM, 11/24/2009
They (public defenders) keep taking the case, now don't they!!
What, another waste of tax dollars....
akron, oh
Posted 09:40 AM, 11/24/2009
No wonder the county dosen't want to pay juries! It's senseless cases like this that cost BIG$$ He admitted to the killing--so what is the problem?
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 10:16 AM, 11/24/2009
He admitted to the shootings, which were caught on the police cruiser camera. Please tell me why there's any further need to drag this out?
Our outdated legal system needs some adjustments in clear-cut cases in order to stop protecting the vicious criminals. This case is truly a waste of everyone's time and money. It's outrageous.
Akron, oh
Posted 10:41 AM, 11/24/2009
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
This POS scum will mess around until SOMEONE in the system messes up and then he will cry that he can't/ didn't get a fair trial (because we all know he is going to back out of his guilty plea) and he is just waiting for someone (judge - prosecutor or attorney) to mess up. This is a total waste of taxpayers money. HOW MANY SETS OF LAWYERS/ CHANCES DOES HE GET? How many chances did he give Josh?
dayton, oh
Posted 11:16 AM, 11/24/2009
The system is outdated and frustrating to the taxpayers that are funding it, but, it will work. This punk will never see the light of day outside of a prison.
AKRON, OH
Posted 11:18 AM, 11/24/2009
SO MANY TRICKS - SO LITTLE JUSTICE
Hudson, OH
Posted 12:17 PM, 11/24/2009
nurse said: "This punk will never see the light of day outside of a prison."
Not good enough! That is NOT justice.
Posted 12:57 PM, 11/24/2009
5 to the skull with one more for good luck.
RIP Josh, We will never forget what this POS did to you and your family.
Akron, Oh
Posted 03:09 PM, 11/24/2009
I believe in a fair trial but I believe this is a closed case. He's scared of going to prison, no more county jail time for this punk--end his vacation!
uniontown, oh
Posted 03:21 PM, 11/24/2009
This is just one more example of why we are in a downward spiral in this state and country. Who is going to benefit from this? The Murder?; I hope not; the victim? no; the victims family? no; Us as the citizens from this area? no; well then who? Your right, the Attorneys. Follow the money. Good luck.
Posted 04:12 PM, 11/24/2009
Their was no dash cam evidence.He either didn't have it on or it wasn't working.
Posted 06:59 PM, 11/24/2009
Again, just because a convicted criminal WANTS new jurors doesn't mean you get a new trial.
No impropriety is even mentioned here. The article isn't really clear.
He can get new attorneys to help him with the sentencing, but I dont see a reason for a new trial.
Posted 07:00 PM, 11/24/2009
Oops, for my above comment, should be criminal WANTS a new trial, doesn't mean...
dayton, oh
Posted 07:27 PM, 11/24/2009
To Connelly: He can easily blame Eddie Sipplen and his hagged-out partner for giving him bad advise prior to his confession. That's all it takes, sorry to say.
akron, oh
Posted 08:22 PM, 11/24/2009
What a waste of time and money... he confessed and that should mean move on to wait his time on death row...period
xo, xo
Posted 10:13 PM, 11/24/2009
Sipplen stated in court filings that he and Powers were withdrawing because of ''the total breakdown of the attorney/client relationship, which cannot be repaired.''
What's preventing him from causing another *breakdown*? The judge should have recognized this as a stall tactic and denied this motion. Everyone involved should be investigated for legal misconduct. A puppy has less rights than this pos, and that's a travesty.
akron, oh
Posted 08:40 PM, 11/25/2009
he probably plead guilty on his attornyys advice believing he would be spared the needle and get life-no parole. when it began to look like that was not going to happen, it became "the breakdown". he is now figuring- "i have nothing to lose, lets take it in front of a jury and hope for the best".
