43
Man faces 2nd trial on murder charges
Photo
Darrin L. Moore
YOUNGSTOWN
A city man is on trial a second time in a murder committed eight years ago.
Darrin L. Moore, 27, of Willis Avenue, was convicted in 2006 in the aggravated murder of Robert Smith, as well as aggravated robbery, two counts of receiving stolen property, escape and failure to comply with a signal of police. The case, however, was sent back to common pleas court on appeal.
Moore is now back in the courtroom of Judge James Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court facing charges of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and receiving stolen property. A jury of five women and seven men spent Wednesday and Thursday listening to opening statements and testimony in the case against Moore.
One witness for the prosecution told Atty. Mark Hockensmith, an assistant Mahoning County prosecutor, that Moore was good friends with her brother-in-law and came to her home shortly after the murder and discussed his role in the shooting. She said Moore confessed to shooting the victim, emptied the gun while still at her home and threw the shell casings in the garbage.
Atty. Thomas Zena, representing Moore, questioned why the female witness had not offered the same statements about Moore’s actions years ago when questioned by police.
Detective Jose Morales discussed the crime scene and reviewed evidence, including bullets left behind by the shooter, before the prosecution rested its case Thursday afternoon.
Prosecutors say that in December 2003, Moore and Damon Clark of Youngstown saw Smith sitting in a Cadillac outside a bar on North Garland Avenue. Police said Moore took the car keys from Smith, 29, of Eliot Lane, then shot Smith in the back and lower torso as he ran away. Police found the Cadillac a few days later, burned, on Salt Springs Road.
Clark is set for trial by jury in August in the courtroom of Judge Evans on an aggravated-murder charge.