Lawyer seeks to suppress statement in store owner killing case

YOUNGSTOWN

The attorney for a man accused of murdering a South Avenue store owner has asked a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court judge to suppress a statement his client made to police.

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum said today he will have a hearing on the motion Wednesday and set the aggravated murder and aggravated robbery trial of Larry McDonald for March 16.

McDonald, of Truman Avenue, is accused of killing Abdullah Nagi Mahdi, 29, inside the Reemas Fashion store Mahdi owned on South Avenue.

McDonald was wounded in the same incident and was wheeled into court today in a wheelchair.

Atty. Tom Zena said in court papers his client, McDonald, was questioned by police the day after Mahdi was killed while he was under heavy sedation and did not knowingly or voluntarily waive his rights when he was questioned.