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Canfield teen involved in fight opts for jury trial over plea deal
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STAFF REPORT
CANFIELD — A city teen involved in a February fight outside his home will return to court for a final pretrial hearing at the end of the month.
Michael Malvasi Jr., 18, of Timber Run Drive, was in Mahoning County Court in Canfield on Wednesday evening to discuss a possible plea deal.
He was charged with assault in March after police said he punched Dominic Jackett, 18, of Youngstown, on Fox Haven Drive in Canfield Township the morning of Feb. 22.
Police said that incident resulted in a group of 14 Cardinal Mooney High School students — 10 adults and four minors — attacking Malvasi Jr. and his father, Michael Malvasi Sr., at their residence the same morning.
The court’s bailiff said Malvasi Jr. decided not to take a plea deal and will return to court for a final pretrial hearing July 29. A jury trial date will be set for later this year.
Six of the adult men involved in the fight took a plea deal in June. Peter Bernat, 19, of Youngstown; Dan McGlone, 18, of Boardman; Matthew McWilson, 18, of Youngstown; Nicholaos Frangopoulos, 18, of Poland; Owen Timlin, 18, of Youngstown; and Scott Johnson, 18, of North Jackson; pleaded guilty to aggravated trespass. McWilson, Johnson and Frangopoulos also pleaded guilty to an assault charge.
Jackett; Kyle White, 18, of Boardman; Michael Thomas, 18, of Boardman; and Adam Wheeler, 18; of Poland, decided not to take the plea agreement and will appear in court at 9 a.m. Oct. 5 for individual jury trials.