Murder defendant to act as own lawyer

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Jury selection in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court was halted Monday in the aggravated murder trial of Jermaine Bunn, 39, because he will be representing himself.

Judge John Durkin agreed with a request by Bunn to act as his own lawyer. The request was made before the jury-selection process could begin.

He will have a final pretrial hearing date in 45 days.

Bunn is accused of the April 2 death of Michael Pete, 30, during a shootout outside an East Avondale Avenue home during a party.

Bunn had been out of prison less than 48 hours before Pete was killed.

Bunn also has been asking for certain papers to be turned over to him, and those papers must be turned over by the time of the final pretrial date.

Bunn was wounded in the shootout that killed Pete. Bunn was taken to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital by private car and treated before he was booked into the jail.