County to pay private lawyers to handle child killer's appeal

Hill refused to talk to his lawyer or answer questions during the hearing.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Danny Lee Hill, formerly of Warren, convicted of the 1986 sexual assault and mutilation killing of 12-year-old Raymond Fife, has been granted new lawyers.
Hill appeared Wednesday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court for Visiting Judge Thomas P. Curran to decide whether the Ohio Public Defender's Office will be required to continue to represent Hill as he appeals his Atkins claim denial to the 11th District Court of Appeals.
In an Atkins claim, a defendant on death row alleges that he is not competent to be executed because of mental retardation.
Judge Curran, of Cuyahoga County, who denied Hill's Atkins claim and also presided over Wednesday's hearing, ruled that Hill's new lawyers will be Attys. Henry Hilow and James A. Jenkins of Cleveland.
Public defenders Greg Myers and Rob Lowe of Columbus had asked Judge Curran to appoint new lawyers because, they said, Hill has been uncooperative with them and has said he will no longer accept representation from anyone in the public defender's office.
Prosecutor: It's strategy
Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins said Hill is refusing his current lawyers for strategy reasons and said, "It's time to stand up to him." Watkins said Hill has employed numerous tactics to derail proceedings by attacking his lawyers.
Watkins said Hill does not have a constitutional right to a lawyer for the upcoming proceedings and believes Hill should represent himself.
Watkins added that it is not clear yet whether the private attorneys will cost the county more money than the public defender because the public defender is now asking to be paid for the work done on Hill's behalf over the past several years.
Watkins said he believes that as state employees, the public defender's office is obligated to represent Hill without additional compensation.