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Man won’t be own lawyer in death-penalty case
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
It didn’t take long Monday for Lance Hundley to have his feet held to the fire in his death-penalty case, and afterward he decided maybe he shouldn’t be his own lawyer after all.
Just minutes after Judge Maureen Sweeney granted his request to represent himself in his capital murder trial in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, Hundley had to question the detective on his case. A hearing was happening where the defense was asking to suppress a brief statement Hundley made to police the day he was arrested because he claimed his Miranda rights were violated.
But after the hearing was over, Hundley changed his mind and asked that his court-appointed attorneys, John Juhasz and Doug Taylor, be reinstated. Judge Sweeney agreed.
Hundley, 47, of Washington Street, Warren, or Cleveland Street, Youngstown, is accused of beating Erika Huff, 41, to death on Nov. 6, 2015; beating her mother; and setting the house on fire. Reports said police who answered a medical-alarm call there had to go inside and arrest Hundley while the house was on fire after they saw a person on the floor and Hundley would not let them inside.
He was just ruled competent to stand trial in December, and before Monday’s hearing, was on his second set of court-appointed attorneys. Jury selection is set for Sept. 8
During the evidence-suppression hearing, police Detective Sgt. Ron Rodway, the lead investigator on the case, said Hundley was a suspect early on. Rodway testified that when he went to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to interview the surviving victim, she told him she went to Huff’s home because her medical alarm had awakened her and when she arrived she saw a gas can in the living room. She told Rodway that Hundley told her the can was for the lawnmower, then he attacked her with a claw hammer.
Two paramedics also told police when they responded to the medical- alarm call, Hundley told them they were not needed.
A video of Rodway’s interview after Hundley was released from the hospital later Nov. 6 was played for the court. Rodway asks Hundley if he wants to waive his rights. He tells Hundley if he agrees to talk, he can stop talking and ask for a lawyer at any time. Rodway asks Hundley if he understands his rights and if he has ever had them explained to him before. Hundley answered yes to both questions.
Rodway then told Hundley he would have to sign a waiver of his rights and explained the form. When Hundley asked why he was there, Rodway told him they could not tell him unless he signed the form, because detectives could not speak to him without a lawyer present unless Hundley gave his approval. Hundley then said he did not waive his rights but he had questions. Rodway said whenever Hundley wanted to stop all he had to do was say so.
Rodway asked a few questions but at one point when Hundley asked, “Am I under arrest?” and Rodway said yes, Hundley said there was another person in the house. He also asked, “Did Erika die?” and was told that she did.
“I wasn’t the only one in the house,” Hundley said. He said that person was “the one who choked me out,” then said he did not want to talk anymore. Rodway ended the interview and Hundley said. “I just want you to know there was another person in that house.”
Hundley told the judge he would have never spoken to Rodway if he had known from the outset he was under arrest. He said he was tricked into signing the waiver and talking.
Judge Sweeney said she would have a ruling shortly.