Husband of woman killed in mall parking lot 'disgusted' with Mahoning judicial system

BERLIN CENTER

Family members of a woman killed in November, when she was run over in a mall parking lot in Boardman, say they have received barely enough notice for a sentencing date of the man accused in her death.

Charles Dailey, husband of Judy Dailey, who was killed, and his daughter, Kim Harvey, said from their home Thursday that the late notice is just one more example to them of how the judicial system is prolonging their agony.

“It’s disgusting,” Harvey said. “I’m disgusted with the whole county justice system.”

About 60 family members and friends were at an Aug. 8 sentencing hearing before Judge John Durkin in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for 24-year-old Matthew Wilson of Florida on a misdemeanor charge of vehicular homicide. They waited for nearly an hour before a bailiff came out and told them the sentencing hearing was being continued. A date of Sept. 12 was picked.

Court records, however, show that a new sentencing date of Monday was set Aug. 16. Dailey, however, did not receive notice until Wednesday, which he says is not enough time for family and friends from out of town to make arrangements to get to Youngstown, including a son who lives in Florida.

They were especially irate because they said even though they were notified by the county’s victim/witness office, no one called them beforehand to let them know. They also said they were upset at the prosecutor on the case because she will not return their calls.

County Prosecutor Paul Gains said the date was changed “unilaterally” by Judge Durkin’s office, and his office received no notice of the rescheduled hearing until Aug. 21, when the victim/witness office reviewed the court schedule and discovered the change.

Read more about the situation in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.