Tuesday, April 24, 2018
YOUNGSTOWN
It appears the 21⁄2-year legal saga of Lance Hundley is about to enter its final act.
Jury selection will begin Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court before Judge Maureen Sweeney for Hundley, who is accused in the Nov. 6, 2015, beating death of Erika Huff in her Cleveland Street home before it was set on fire. Huff’s mother was severely beaten as well.
A final pretrial hearing in the case took place Tuesday, where defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed on a list of potential jurors to be excused. The court will be welcoming 139 potential jurors Friday for jury orientation in the case.
If Hundley, 48, of Warren, is convicted in Huff’s death, he could be sentenced to the death penalty. If jurors convict Hundley of aggravated murder with death-penalty specifications a second phase of the trial, or mitigation phase, will take place, where defense attorneys will put on evidence to convince jurors to spare Hundley’s life.
Read more about the case in Wednessday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.