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Once again, capital murder defendant complains about attorneys
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
It would not be a court hearing for Lance Hundley without a little drama.
Hundley, 47, has fired two sets of attorneys in his capital-murder case, firing and rehiring and then firing the latter set of attorneys multiple times. On Wednesday, he lashed out against those same attorneys during a pretrial hearing in his case in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. He said those attorneys, John Juhasz and Doug Taylor, whom he fired last month and are now standby counsel for him, have not been helping in mailing documents or securing evidence for him or setting up appointments with defense experts for him.
Judge Maureen Sweeney, who agreed to allow Hundley to represent himself, told him curtly those duties are his responsibility because he is representing himself.
“You demanded to represent yourself,” Judge Sweeney told him. “It’s your responsibility to do those things.”
Hundley could face the death penalty if convicted of the death of Erika Huff, who was beaten to death in November 2015 in a home on Cleveland Street. Hundley is also accused of attempted murder in connection with the beating of Huff’s mother severely and of aggravated arson in the attempt at trying to set the house on fire.
Police officers responding to the fire alarm call saw Hundley inside the house while it was on fire, but he refused to come out. They went in and dragged Hundley out along with Huff’s mother.
Judge Sweeney allowed Juhasz to respond, and Juhasz answered he and Taylor have both done nothing wrong. He said they visited Hundley in the jail recently and offered to help him with “logistical issues” he cannot do because he is in the jail, such as mailing letters for him if he needs that.
The standby counsel is there to assist Hundley on points of law but will not represent Hundley unless he asks. If he does ask, they step in right away and take over. The proceedings do not start again.
Judge Sweeney told Hundley it is up to him to prepare his case, not Taylor and Juhasz.
“Mr. Hundley, you have standby counsel,” Judge Sweeney said. “You either use them or lose them.”