Appellate court upholds convictions of two homicide defendants

YOUNGSTOWN — Convictions of two homicide defendants that occurred before Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge R. Scott Krichbaum were unanimously upheld by the 7th District Court of Appeals.

The appeals court today upheld the conviction of James A. Hall, 31, of Victoria Street, in the Oct. 14, 2006, shooting death of Jeffrey A. Queen, 35, of Austintown.

Judge Krichbaum had sentenced Hall to life in prison without parole after a jury convicted Hall of the murder of Queen, whose body was found in the woods off Riblett Road in Austintown about eight hours after the shooting.

Queen was a confidential informant who made undercover drug buys from Hall for police and was to testify against Hall in a federal drug case.

The appellate court also upheld the conviction of Edward Taylor II in the Nov. 18, 2007, shooting death of James E. Dow.

Judge Krichbaum sentenced Taylor to 22 years in prison after Taylor pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, robbery, kidnapping and felonious assault with a firearm specification.

For the complete story, see Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com