2 slaying trials to begin Tuesday

More than 200 prospective jurors are expected to report for duty Tuesday.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Jurors will be selected to hear testimony in two homicide trials scheduled to begin Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
One is for Martin L. Koliser Jr. of Boardman, who could face the death penalty if he is convicted of killing Youngstown policeman Michael T. Hartzell.
The other is for 38-year-old Michael J. Hogan, also of Boardman, who police say ran over a 71-year-old Struthers man with his car in May 2002.
Edward Barone, jury commissioner, said more than 200 prospective jurors are scheduled to report to the courthouse Tuesday morning.
Koliser case
Koliser, 30, was the subject of a massive manhunt for days after 26-year-old Hartzell was shot while sitting in his cruiser during the early hours of April 29. He was eventually caught in Florida and returned to the county to stand trial.
Authorities say Koliser shot Donell J. Rowe, 23, outside a West Side bar about two hours before Hartzell was shot. Rowe was critically injured but survived.
Koliser is charged with aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, escape and illegally possessing a firearm.
Judge R. Scott Krichbaum, who will preside over the trial, said it will take about three weeks to seat a jury. He said death-penalty cases take considerably longer to seat a jury because they require the judge and lawyers to spend extra time questioning prospective jurors.
It usually takes two or three days to seat a jury in murder cases that do not involve the death penalty.
Jurors will first be questioned about their feelings toward the death penalty and whether they feel they can fairly follow the law in deciding whether to impose it, said Prosecutor Paul Gains.
After that, jurors will go through another round of questioning from the lawyers until a panel of 12 jurors and four alternates is seated.
Koliser's lawyers, who are from the Ohio Public Defender's Office, have said they are confident a jury can be seated here and the trial will not have to be moved to another county.
Hogan case
Hogan, of Forest Ridge Drive, is accused of running over John Ruble, who was trying to get back his wife's purse.
Authorities say that in May 2002, Hogan drove into a recycling drop-off area on South Avenue in Boardman and grabbed a purse from inside a car parked in front of his. The purse belonged to Ruble's wife, Louise.
As Hogan ran back to his car, Ruble tried to stop him, police said. Court records say that Ruble was dragged by Hogan's car and his legs were run over as Hogan backed out of the driveway.
Hogan then drove forward, running over the elderly man again, killing him, police say.
Hogan's attorney, James T. Hartford, has filed an alibi on Hogan's behalf. He says Hogan could not have done it because he was at his mother's house in Boardman at the time.
The trial will be in the courtroom of Judge James C. Evans.
Also set for trial Tuesday are Cheryl L. Costanza, 35, and Antonio Fusco, 31, both of Homewood Avenue. Both are charged with two counts of child endangering, accused of abusing their infant son in February 2000. The boy's injuries resulted in his blindness.
That trial will be in the courtroom of Judge Maureen A. Cronin.