Capital murder trial delayed two months

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The capital murder trial of Willie Gene Wilks Jr. has been postponed from mid-January to March 17, with an orientation for potential jurors at 8:30 a.m. March 14.

Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court said the prosecution and defense agreed to the two-month postponement.

The judge said at a Monday pre-trial hearing that the new trial date is intended to make sure the lawyers have no scheduling conflicts and enough time to prepare for trial.

Wilks 42, of Elm Street, is charged in the May 21, 2013, shooting death of 20-year-old Ororo Wilkins and the wounding of Alexander Morales Jr. at a home in the 700 block of Park Avenue on the city’s North Side.

Police believe Wilks, angry over an ongoing dispute, fired a high-powered assault rifle, hitting Wilkins in the head as she sat on the porch holding a 5-month-old child. The child fell to the ground, but was not injured by the gunfire.

The death-penalty specification says Wilks was trying to kill two or more people.

During the jury-selection process, the judge said potential jurors will be questioned individually and out of earshot of other potential jurors.

“I want to be sure that we get a fair and impartial jury, so we’re going to do it methodically,” Judge D’Apolito said.