Double-murder trial postponed till March


July 11, 2012 at 1:45p.m.

Double-murder trial postponed till March

WARREN

At the request of the defense, the trial for a man charged with killing a woman and her daughter in Liberty in 2009 has been pushed back from August to March.

Melvin L. Turner, 38, was scheduled for trial Aug. 8 in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court, but Judge W. Wyatt McKay changed the trial date Wednesday to March 4.

Turner is accused of killing Wilneice L. Green, 28, and her 13-year-old daughter, Ja-Brajasia, in their Northgate Drive home Nov. 15, 2009. If convicted, Turner could receive a possible sentence of life in prison without parole.

He’s charged with two counts of aggravated murder and single counts of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Five other people already have pleaded guilty to their role in the homicides.

Matt Pentz, with the Trumbull County office of the Ohio Public Defender, said he asked for more time because he’s trying to track down additional witnesses.