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2 plead innocent in shooting death at Galaxy Seafood
YOUNGSTOWN
Two men charged in the shooting of an armed man at Galaxy Seafood last month will have their cases back before a judge next week.
Nathaniel Dumas, 35, of East Florida Avenue, and James Thomas, 50, of Belmont Avenue, appeared for arraignment Tuesday before Magistrate Dominic J. DeLaurentis Jr. of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. Dumas is charged with murder and aggravated robbery, and Thomas faces an aggravated robbery charge.
Dumas, accompanied by his lawyer David Engler, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and asked to reserve his right to request a new bond amount at a later date.
Dumas is in the county jail on a $1 million bond.
Thomas is represented by court-appointed defense lawyer Thomas Zena. Zena told the magistrate his client is innocent and also said he would address the matter of bail at a later date. Thomas is in jail on a $500,000 bond.
Cases against both men have been assigned to Judge James Evans. A pretrial is set Tuesday, and the trial is slated to begin June 13.
According to police, off-duty Youngstown officer Mike Walker was working security at the Belmont Avenue seafood restaurant April 8 and was in the back of the restaurant when Warren V. Wright, 32, of Youngstown, walked in around 6 p.m., pointed a gun at a worker at the front of the establishment and demanded money.
Wright died after being shot in the chest by Walker.
Police said Dumas was the getaway driver, but because his involvement in the shooting was tied to a death, he was charged with murder in Wright’s death.
Police said Thomas also was involved in the attempted robbery but did not say what role they think he played in the crime.
Janice Dumas, mother of Nathaniel Dumas and Wright’s aunt, said her son was not involved in the robbery plot.
She said he was nowhere near the restaurant at the time and was elsewhere in the city with her sister’s boyfriend.
“It’s bad enough that I lost my nephew. Now they [police] are trying to railroad my son and make him part of this,” she said.
Janice Dumas said the man her son was with the day of the crime is willing to come forward and testify on his behalf.
Capt. Rod Foley, Youngstown police, said detectives have spoken to that man.
“He came in to talk with us, but his statement is not going to be able to assist [Dumas] with an alibi,” Foley said.