Murder defendants plead innocent

The shooting stemmed from an ongoing feud, police said.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — Bond has been set at $500,000 each for three men charged in the Nov. 12 shooting death of Billy O. McGeorge.

The three defendants, Dionne Dawson, 26, his brother, Dewon Dawson, 25, both of West Myrtle Avenue, and Gerald Hardaway, 27, of Ridge Avenue, pleaded innocent at their arraignments Monday afternoon before Magistrate Dennis Sarisky of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

McGeorge, 32, whose last known address was on Parkwood Avenue, was found shot to death in a driveway in the 400 block of West Marion Avenue about 12:25 a.m.

McGeorge was shot in the left eye, right side and groin. A man who lives nearby heard three shots.

Police said the motive for the shooting was an ongoing feud.

All three defendants were secretly indicted Thursday on a murder charge with a gun specification, and all were arrested Friday. If convicted, they face 15 years to life in prison for the murder, plus three consecutive years for the gun specification.

All three are scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. Dec. 16 pretrial hearing before Judge Maureen A. Sweeney. Feb. 17 is their tentative trial date.

Meghan Brundege, assistant county prosecutor, asked Sarisky to set the $500,000 bond for each defendant because of the seriousness of the charge.

Defense lawyer Heidi Hanni, however, asked him to set a lower bond for the Dawsons because she said Dewon Dawson has no prior felony conviction record and Dionne Dawson has no prior criminal record at all.

Defense lawyer Terry Grenga asked Sarisky to set a $100,000 bond for Hardaway, who she said had no prior felony conviction record.