Court can’t rule until local judge imposes penalty

LISBON — The 7th District Court of Appeals on Monday ruled that a Warren lawyer can’t appeal two contempt findings until a penalty is imposed.

The appeals court ruled that George Kafantaris was premature in filing his appeal Aug. 10.

Judge C. Ashley Pike of Columbiana County Common Pleas Court twice found Kafantaris in contempt during hearings related to the murder trial of Andrew Irwin of East Liverpool.

Irwin, 26, was convicted of stabbing Emily Foreman, 21, to death in 2006 at her Liverpool Township home.

The lawyer claimed as the jury was returning with a guilty verdict that he had information on the real killer.

The second finding came during hearings into the alleged new information. Judge Pike eventually ruled the evidence wasn’t credible.

The appellate court said that it couldn’t rule on an appeal until there was a final appealable order from Judge Pike to consider.

The appeals court gave the judge 60 days to rule on the contempt findings.