Third time not a charm: Brown case ends in another mistrial

YOUNGSTOWN — A mistrial has been declared for the third time in the Paul Brown murder case.

With a jury seated today in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court before Judge Maureen Sweeney and set to hear opening statements, Brown and his lawyer, Mark Lavelle, were arguing in the courtroom.

Shortly thereafter they met in private, then Lavelle told Judge Sweeney Brown wanted a new lawyer and they had irreconcilable differences.

Brown is on trial for the 2009 murder of Ashten Jackson, 17, on the East Side.

Two previous trials have ended in mistrials.