2011 starts with nine Mahoning County death penalty cases

YOUNGSTOWN

Nine men are facing the death penalty in five aggravated murder cases as 2011 begins in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

That’s the largest number of capital case defendants simultaneously awaiting trial here that Atty. Thomas E. Zena, lead counsel in three of the pending capital cases, can recall in his 34 years of law practice.

It’s also the largest number Sheriff Randall Wellington can recall in his 53 years in Mahoning Valley law enforcement.

“Usually, we present the death specification in the most horrendous of cases, where we have good evidence,” said Dawn Cantalamessa, chief trial lawyer in the county prosecutor’s criminal division, who is assigned to all five pending cases.

“We believe, at this stage of the proceedings, that we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the aggravating circumstances outweigh the mitigating factors, and that’s the law,” said her boss, county Prosecutor Paul J. Gains.

“As long as we have the death penalty statute on the books, we’re going to enforce it,” Gains added.

Read more in Sunday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com