Judge contines gag order in Hamad case

WARREN — The judge in the Nasser Hamad aggravated murder case has continued the gag order he imposed March 9 on all attorneys, court personnel and any public official.

Hamad, 47, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder and several counts of attempted aggravated murder. He’s accused of shooting five people who went to his house on state Route 46 in Howland Feb. 25 in an ongoing dispute. Two of them died.

Judge Ronald Rice of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court issued the order today about the same time prosecutors requested a gag order.

Prosecutors said the attorneys should be prohibited from discussing the case outside of court because Atty. Geoffrey Oglesby, who represents Hamad, made statements “with the sole purpose of to try this case in the media and create an atmosphere hostile to seating a fair and impartial jury.”

The judge issued his own gag order March 9 and said he was denying the prosecutor’s request for a gag order because it is moot because of his order.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com