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Higher bond required of suspect in death
YOUNGSTOWN
A Youngstown man charged with the strangling death of his wife may be released on bond, but he will have to come up with more than the $25,000 bond set in Youngstown Municipal Court.
Daniel Wellington, 55, appeared Monday afternoon before Judge Maureen Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for a bond hearing. He is charged with murder in the death of his 44-year-old wife at their East Side residence Aug. 5.
Wellington, who has no prior criminal record, was freed from jail after making a $25,000 bond that was set in Youngstown Municipal Court, where he initially faced a voluntary manslaughter charge, according to Wellington’s lawyer, James Gentile.
Wellington, however, was placed back in jail after he was re-arrested after a grand jury indictment for the higher charge of murder. The murder charge came after the coroner ruled the death a homicide by manual strangulation.
The manslaughter charge carried a three-to-10-year prison term upon conviction, but the murder charge carries 15 years to life in prison upon conviction.
The manslaughter charge alleged Wellington knowingly killed his wife in a sudden fit of rage brought on by serious provocation from her; but the murder charge simply alleges he purposely killed her.
Michael McBride, an assistant county prosecutor, told the court a higher bond is necessary in light of the higher level of charges Wellington is facing.
“The state’s position is that this is a higher offense. ... This is a murder charge and by being a murder charge it carries a possible life sentence. ... He has nothing to lose. Everyday he is out is a potential flight risk,” he said.
McBride asked the court to set bond at $250,000.
Gentile said the $25,000 bond set in municipal court was reasonable and his client should not be forced to pay a higher bond amount because of the unusual way the charges were levied against him. He said his client is no flight risk and has lived an exemplary life.
“He has lived a law-abiding life his whole 50-something years. ... This man has lived the type of life everyone should admire. This is a tragic and unfortunate situation,” he said. “I don’t think the defendant, after posting bond, should have to post another bond under these circumstances.”
Judge Sweeney set bond at $50,000 with the court to recognize that $25,000 of that bond already has been posted.
Police were called to the Wellingtons’ Knapp Avenue residence for a report of a woman not breathing.
When they arrived, Wellington was performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on his wife; paramedics were unable to revive her.
Wellington told police he and his wife argued, and she jumped on him.
He said he grabbed her around the neck to get her off of him, and she hit her head as they rolled off the bed.