Youngstown man pleads guilty to reduced charge

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — A 21-year-old Detroit Avenue man has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of robbery in a case that was at one time dismissed because the judge felt time had expired for the man to be brought to trial.

Christopher Williams was indicted on a charge of aggravated robbery with a specification that he used a gun. He was accused of robbing an 80-year-old West Side man of his keys and cellular phone Dec. 28, 2006, as the victim was leaving a Zedaker Street residence on the city’s South Side.

But Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court agreed with Williams’ attorney, Lynn Maro, on Sept. 10, 2007, and dismissed those charges on the basis that Williams had not been brought to trial within the 90 days of his arrest as required by law.

The 7th District Court of Appeals, however, sent the case back to Judge Sweeney, who put the case back on her docket after having a hearing in which the prosecution and defense stated their differing opinions on how many days had passed since Williams’ arrest.

The judge eventually ruled that both parties caused the trial to be delayed past the 90 days because both sides failed to properly share evidence, known as discovery.

Williams, who could have gotten up to 13 years in prison on the original charges, now faces a maximum penalty of five years.

Court officials said Williams’ plea is what is known as an Alford plea — a legal maneuver not approved by judges on a regular basis — that indicates the defendant has pleaded guilty but is allowed to maintain his innocence.

Williams will be sentenced at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 5.