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Death-penalty murder trial to begin soon
YOUNGSTOWN — Jury selection has begun for the capital murder case of Antwon Lanier in the Aug. 6, 2005, death of Sierra Y. Slaton. Her body was found floating in McKelvey Lake the day after she died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
Lanier, 25, of Mahoning County jail, is charged with the aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and rape of Slaton, 19, of Vestal Road.
The trial is before Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
An orientation for 100 potential jurors was Friday, and potential jurors were to be interviewed by the judge and prosecuting and defense lawyers, individually and out of earshot of other prospective jurors, beginning today in what was expected to be at least a weeklong jury selection process.
The prosecution has asked that the jury visit South Side Park off Belleview Avenue under the Interstate 680 bridge. There, the prosecution alleges Lanier, whose DNA was found on Slaton, and his co-defendant, Antonio Jackson, raped Slaton.
In her written request for a jury view, Jennifer McLaughlin Smith, assistant county prosecutor, also asked that the jury view the shoreline of McKelvey Lake off the 600 block of Liberty Road, where Slaton’s body was found.
McLaughlin said in her opening statement in Jackson’s trial in March that Jackson, 28, of Summer Street, fatally shot Slaton before dumping her body in the lake.
Jackson’s capital murder trial on the same charges ended with Judge Durkin declaring a mistrial after defense lawyers complained about the failure of the prosecution to provide certain witness statements to the defense before the trial began, as required by evidence discovery rules.
Jackson’s retrial in this case is set to begin Oct. 16.
Assisting Smith in prosecuting the Lanier case is Natasha K. Frenchko, assistant county prosecutor. The defense lawyers are James S. Gentile and Ronald D. Yarwood.
Meanwhile, a nine-woman, three-man jury has already been seated in an unrelated case for the capital murder trial of Curtis Young, in which opening statements are scheduled for 9 a.m. today before Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Young, 26, of North Center Street, is charged with aggravated murder with firearm and death penalty specifications in the July 31, 2007, shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend, Helen Moore, 29, of Cassius Street, her full-term fetus, and her 8-year-old son, Ceonei.
Prosecuting that case are Martin P. Desmond and Robert J. Andrews, assistant county prosecutors. The defense lawyers are Thomas E. Zena and Douglas B. Taylor.