Judge to decide whether Cleveland man competent to stand trial for murder

Staff report

WARREN

Two psychiatric reports have reached the same conclusion about whether David Martin is competent to stand trial on a murder charge that could carry the death penalty if he’s convicted.

Authorities are not willing to say what that conclusion is, and the final decision will rest with Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court after a competency hearing set for 10 a.m. June 27.

That hearing will determine whether Martin, 29, of Cleveland, accused of killing Jeremy Cole, 21, of Warren, goes to trial as scheduled Aug 27.

Meanwhile, one of Martin’s attorneys, Gregory Meyers of the Ohio Public Defender’s Office, asked Judge Logan at a hearing this week to assist his client in getting back various court papers and notes that were in his cell in the Trumbull County Jail at the time Martin and two other inmates are accused of taking a corrections officer hostage for five hours in April.

Martin has been in the Mahoning County Adult Justice Center since the incident and is being transported from Youngstown to Warren for hearings. The three inmates have not yet been charged in that incident. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating it.

Meyers said Martin is entitled to have his court paperwork and notes in preparation for his trial. He also should be allowed to have mail forwarded to him to his new location, Meyers said.

Gabe Wildman, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, agreed to contact BCI to ask for the materials or copies of them to be forwarded to Martin.

Meyers said he is still seeking records from the Cuyahoga County Department of Job and Family Services that he plans to give to a psychologist to review, apparently regarding Martin’s youth.