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Defendant survived 2008 arson that killed 6 relatives
YOUNGSTOWN
Emotions ran high in a Mahoning County courtroom as the survivor of a high-profile crime was sentenced to eight years in prison for attacking his former girlfriend.
Julius Crawford, 20, of Plazaview Court, appeared for sentencing Thursday before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of common-pleas court on felony charges of aggravated burglary and felonious assault. He had pleaded guilty to the charges in February in an agreement with prosecutors.
Prosecutors, under the terms of the agreement, recommended a six-year prison term for Crawford, but Judge Krichbaum did not follow that recommendation. Crawford was sentenced to four years on each of the two charges.
On Jan. 23, 2008, four children who were members of Crawford’s family perished in the fire at 1645 Stewart Ave., along with their mother and grandmother. Julius and his sister managed to escape the blaze deliberately set by 18-year-old Michael A. Davis of Youngstown. Davis is in prison for life.
Crawford was arrested on a charge of breaking and entering into a home and severely beating his former girlfriend last year.
Police reports say officers were sent to Saranac Avenue just before midnight Nov. 25. Family members of the home’s resident went inside the house and told officers the North Side home was “trashed, and there was blood everywhere.”
Police found the teenage girl with physical signs of being beaten. The girl’s face and shirt were reportedly covered in blood. She also complained of injured ribs, and there were specks of glass in her hair.
The victim’s father addressed the court saying he did not like the plea agreement reached with prosecutors.
“For someone to break into my mother’s home and attack my daughter while she is asleep, then make comments like for this six years ‘I should have killed her’ ... I feel this is very unfair,” he said. “I don’t like the agreement or the time recommended. ... I just want everything to be fair and consistent.”
The father referred to the arson that killed members of Crawford’s family, saying the incident was partly Crawford’s fault for bullying the man who set the blaze. He said Crawford had been given enough breaks because of the tragedy.
His comments caused members of the Crawford family in the gallery to angrily leave the courtroom. Those family members did not return to witness the rest of the hearing.
Crawford read a statement to the court where he apologized to the victim and said the situation made him realize he needs help in dealing with what happened to him concerning the loss of his family.
He said he had bottled up his emotions after the fire and turned to drugs and the streets for comfort.
Crawford said he now has a child and told the judge he wanted to be free to care for the child.
Judge Krichbaum, who also presided over the criminal case involving the Crawford family fire, assured the victim’s father that Crawford had received no special treatment from the court. He also admonished the victim’s father and Crawford for using the tragedy to make a point.
“I feel like I am in outer space listening to you [the victim’s father] talk and listening to you [Crawford] talk,” Judge Krichbaum said. “I am supposed to be nice to you [Crawford] because something had happened to you, after you broke in and beat the snot out of this girl. ... I’m not insensitive to your background, but your background does not excuse or explain this type of conduct.”
Judge Krichbaum, along with the eight years in prison, ordered Crawford to serve five years’ probation upon his release from prison. Crawford will get credit for the 140 days he has spent in the county jail.