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Man found guilty in North Side murder
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Relatives of a man who was gunned down on the North Side in October 2012 said they were relieved after the man accused of shooting him was convicted of aggravated murder Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Sisters of 57-year-old Mark Haskins said they also are glad because the verdict against 29-year-old Janero Mitchell of Catalina Avenue sends a message that lawlessness will not be tolerated.
“As a family we’re relieved for some justice,” said Elaine Haskins Bevly, who spoke after the verdicts were announced in the courtroom of Judge James C. Evans. “Not just for our brother, but no one should be shot down. If you are allowed to get away with it, they’ll just keep on killing.”
Jurors convicted Mitchell of Mark Haskins’ death after just two hours of deliberations Friday. The jury began hearing the case Tuesday, and testimony wrapped up late Thursday afternoon. Jurors were sent home without deliberating and returned at 9 a.m. Friday to begin deliberations.
Sentencing is set for Monday morning.
Prosecutors were not sure of a motive, but they did have a woman who witnessed the shooting and picked Mitchell out of a photo lineup.
Testimony showed that Haskins was shot outside a home at Kennsington and Bissel avenues on the North Side. After he was lying on the ground, he was shot again, and Mitchell was walking away when Haskins tried to roll over, and Mitchell shot him again.
Bevly said her brother had gone through some rough spots in his life, but he tried to use those experiences to help steer younger people away from trouble. He also liked to help others, Bevly said.
“He used what he had done wrong to help them do right,” Bevly said.
Another sister, Darlene Haskins-Laster, said her brother was especially helpful in taking care of their sick father, who is half paralyzed, and he devoted three days a week to caring for him.
“If Daddy fell down, he would drop whatever he was doing to get there,” Haskins-Laster said.
Mitchell, who was dressed in a white shirt and a bow tie, showed no emotion as the jury’s verdict was read.
Bevly said her brother was an important piece of the family in so many ways.
“It’s such a loss to our family,” Bevly said.