Sunday, January 18, 2015
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins is opposing the potential move of inmate Christopher W. Daniel to transitional control, which could lead to his release into society later this year.
Daniel was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary in 1989 and sentenced to 37 to 100 years in prison for the death of George Melnick, 65, and attempted murder of Katherine Melnick, 64, in their Wick Street Southeast home Aug. 15, 1988.
Daniel, 45, has served 26 years so far. His co-defendant, Andre Williams, is on death row for killing George Melnick.
Watkins told the parole board that Daniel nearly killed Katherine Melnick when he hit her in the head with a brick as he and Williams entered the back of the home to commit a robbery.
Daniel, then 19, also assaulted her with an ax handle. The damage left her blind and permanently brain-injured, Watkins said. She died at age 88 in 2012, having spent the remaining 24 years of her life in nursing homes or the hospital.
Watkins said he and the Melnick family, especially George and Katherine’s son, George, “respectfully request that if a release on transitional control is approved in March, then we want and will apply for the opportunity to address the parole board personally to give our reasons to deny any release.”
Judge Mitchell Shaker, who presided over Daniel’s trial, wrote in a letter to the parole board in 1989 to say he wanted to see Daniel serve the entire 37-year minimum, Watkins noted.
Watkins said Daniel “actively and gladly participated in murder and mayhem. He personally beat Katherine Melnick to a pulp and left her for dead. He robbed and burglarized their home.”
Watkins said Daniel “has demonstrated that he is capable of and comfortable with savage levels of violence toward defenseless senior citizens.”