Ruling makes execution more likely for murderer

YOUNGSTOWN — Barring action by another court, the execution of convicted murder Mark Aaron Brown can go forward as scheduled Thursday.

The Seventh District Court of Appeals has denied Brown’s request for a new trial.

The three-judge panel’s ruling was announced about 8 p.m. Tuesday following a hearing earlier in the day. The hearing was on Brown’s appeal of a decision out of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court also denying his request for another trial.

The appellate court’s decision was written by Judge Cheryl L. Waite, with judges Gene Donofrio and Mary DeGenaro concurring.

The judges overruled all four assignments of error argued by the defense.

Even before the decision was announced, a sister of the convenience store owner Brown was convicted of killing 16 years ago and an assistant county prosecutor said they thought there should be no further delay in Brown’s execution.

For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Vindicator or vindy.com