Judge sets $1M bond in murder case

Bond is $5.2 million for the suspect in a murder at a pee-wee football game.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Emotional outbursts filled the hallway after municipal court video arraignments of two men charged in separate murders.
Nicole Thomas, fianc & eacute;e of 29-year-old Wadell L. Casey of Stewart Avenue, cried uncontrollably today and slumped to a bench outside the courtroom of Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly. Casey's relatives tried to comfort the grieving woman.
The judge set bond at $1 million for Charles Jones, 30, of Lincoln Park Drive, charged with murder and attempted murder. Jones is accused in the Monday night shooting death of Casey at his home and the wounding of 22-year-old Michael Faiola of Lynn Avenue.
Jones will be back in court Nov. 8 for a preliminary hearing. Because he has no income, a lawyer will be appointed to represent him.
A lawyer who appeared for arraignment purposes only had asked the judge to consider house arrest, pointing out that Jones has no criminal record and is not a flight risk. The judge said the charges against Jones couldn't be more serious and she couldn't, in good conscience, set a lower bond.
Was at crime scene
Casey's aunt, Regina Jones of Youngstown, said Charles Jones (no relation) was at the crime scene comforting relatives and then ended up being charged with the murder. She expressed shock that a lawyer would ask for house arrest.
Regina Jones and Casey's sister, Tameeka Casey of Campbell, said Charles Jones had been friends with Wadell Casey since childhood.
"I got one brother left," Tameeka Casey told reporters after court. "Two brothers dead in 2006."
Her brother Arlis R. Casey, 35, was shot to death Jan. 2. She said he was killed by a friend.
She said whenever drugs are mentioned as a motive it doesn't justify death. Her brother Wadell had a drug case pending in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court and was scheduled to testify against the man charged with killing his brother Arlis.
Tameeka Casey, making a reference to police saying Wadell Casey had a "long rap sheet," said they "should have locked his a-- up." She said he wouldn't be dead, and she'd rather see him behind bars than dead.
Tameeka Casey said her kids won't be involved with drugs. She said the children's father, Craig Jackson, was shot and killed but her testimony against defendants in the case failed to result in a conviction.
Vindicator files show that three children were in the car when Jackson, 23, was shot in the back of the head April 25, 1995. The alleged shooter and two others were all found innocent at trial.
Separate case
In a separate murder case today, Judge Kobly set bond at $5.2 million for Anthony M. Caulton, 25, of East Avondale Avenue. He is charged with murder, having a weapon under disability (based on a prior conviction) and illegal conveyance of a weapon onto school property.
He will be back in court Nov. 8 for a preliminary hearing. Because he has no income, a lawyer will be appointed to represent him.
Caulton is accused in the Aug. 19 shooting death of Larry D. Jones, 31, of Ravenwood Avenue. Jones was shot multiple times in the stands at the former South High Stadium behind Eagle Heights Academy on Market Street while a pee-wee football game was in progress.
In asking for the high bond, Bret Hartup, assistant city prosecutor, told Judge Kobly that Caulton fled after the crime to the Seattle area. Caulton was captured there Oct. 2 and was returned Tuesday to Ohio by U.S. marshals.
Caulton also was arraigned on an unrelated marijuana charge. He failed to appear for sentencing in May, the judge said.
After court, Larry Jones' mother ran out yelling that Caulton should be held without bond. "This is wrong!" she said.
meade@vindy.com