MAHONING COUNTY Judge declines to rule, preventing woman's visit

A hearing on Giancola's conditional release into society will be next year.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Annette Giancola won't be home to visit family for the holidays.
Giancola, 44, formerly of Canfield Township, has been confined to state psychiatric facilities since June 1998, when she was found innocent by reason of insanity in the drowning deaths of her 3-year-old twins.
Visiting Judge Charles J. Bannon declined to rule Monday on Atty. Scott Cochran's oral request that Giancola be allowed to return briefly to Mahoning County to visit family for the holidays. Cochran said she also needs to settle affairs over some of her property that is being kept in storage until her release.
He said that except for her court appearances, Giancola has not been back to the county since she was committed into psychiatric care.
Assistant prosecutor Robert Andrews opposed the request, saying Giancola should not be allowed to return to the county.
Judge's instruction
Judge Bannon told Cochran to file the request in writing and said it can be addressed when the hearing on Cochran's request that Giancola being granted conditional release from the hospital is rescheduled, which will probably be sometime in February. Conditional release would allow her to live on her own outside the hospital.
A hearing on that request scheduled for Monday was canceled at the request of the prosecutor's office.
Giancola is being held at the Northcoast Behavioral Health Care facility in Northfield, Ohio.
In May 2002, Giancola was granted permission in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to leave the mental hospital, but only for short, daytime trips and if accompanied by her family. Before that, she could leave only when accompanied by hospital staff.
She cannot return to Mahoning County without the court's permission.
Giancola drowned her twins, Jonathan and Rebecca, in the bathtub of their home in March 1997.
bjackson@vindy.com