Altiere: deputies reacted properly

WARREN — Sheriff Thomas Altiere believes his deputies handled a courtroom melee Wednesday properly.

The sheriff said he’ll critique a TV video of the attack Thursday, then meet with Trumbull County Common Pleas Court judges to discuss court security, but said, “Personally, I think it was handled appropriately.”

Altiere said there was only one deputy in Judge John Stuard’s courtroom when the attack occurred because the hearing for Howard hadn’t yet started — and because of a disturbance involving a woman about the same time in the courtroom of Judge Andrew Logan.

The sheriff explained that three deputies are assigned to courthouse security, but other deputies are around because they escort prisoners from the county jail across High Street to the courthouse.

“We only have so many deputies. They can’t be there all the time,” Altiere said.

The sheriff noted that there are usually five deputies in a courtroom during high-profile cases, but that didn’t occur because of the two outbursts in separate courtrooms.

“That takes a toll on everyone,” he added.

Altiere said he hasn’t received any complaints from the judges for more security.

Wednesday’s attack came as a murder victim’s mother, Victoria West of Warren, entered the courtroom before the hearing got under way,   and hit murder suspect Jason T. Howard, 24, of Liberty   in the head. She was put on the floor by a deputy sheriff.

Her nephew and son, Sulthan Honzu, 29, of Ogden Avenue, and Lewis West, 30, of Arthur Drive, came to her rescue, then attacked Howard.

The men will be arraigned on assault charges Thursday before municipal Judge Terry Ivanchak.

Howard was in Judge Stuard’s courtroom awaiting a hearing on murder and other charges stemming from three Warren shootings which killed Phillip Dally, 24, of Ohio Avenue in June and wounded Mario Sowell, 30, of First Street and Dontai Young, 26, of Lane Drive, on two later days.

Howard also is charged in Franklin County with the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Jameila West, 27, West’s daughter, of Columbus and formerly of Warren, and Jameila’s daughter, Jameire Erwin, 10, and son, Tre’vion Williams, 5; and her and Howard’s 3-year-old son, Jakia Howard.