YOUNGSTOWN Couple won't have to plead again

The Scotts said they knew what they were doing when they made the pleas.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A city couple was back in court Thursday to clear up confusion over their plea to drug charges last week.
Lester Scott, 42, and Shauna Berry Scott, 39, of Elm Street, pleaded no contest last week to multiple counts of trafficking in crack cocaine, possession of crack cocaine and drug possession.
Afterward, prosecutors filed a motion asking that the plea be vacated and a new hearing scheduled to do it again because Judge Robert Lisotto did not advise the Scotts of constitutional rights they gave up by pleading instead of going to trial.
Said they knew: During a hearing Thursday, the Scotts affirmed that they had been advised of that fact by their attorneys and were aware of it when they made the plea. Based on that, Judge Lisotto denied the motion to do the plea again in its entirety.
Defense attorneys Thomas Zena and Robert Rohrbaugh II apologized to Judge Lisotto for the problem and accepted part of the blame. Zena said they both read the plea form that had been prepared by the prosecutor's office and did not realize that the section regarding their clients' rights was not included.
Sentencing of the Scotts is postponed until after a background check.
bjackson@vindy.com