Court upholds ruling

YOUNGSTOWN

The state’s highest court has said it is upholding an appeal’s court ruling that the guilty plea of a 2016 murder suspect should be stricken.

According to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, the Ohio State Supreme Court ruled it have no jurisdiction over a 2016 murder case appeal, and ruled the 7th District Court of Appeal’s ruling should stand.

Vincent Reber, 23, pleaded guilty in 2016 to aggravated murder and aggravated robbery in the shooting death of 28-year-old Daniel Sanford on Belden Avenue.

Reber was sentenced to 20 years to life on the aggravated-murder charge, as well as an 11-year sentence on the aggravated-robbery charge, 21 News reports,

In the appellate court ruling, Reber’s right to due process was denied because the morning of the hearing in which he pleaded guilty he asked for a continuance and was denied.

In addition, the appellate court found Reber was “coerced” into a guilty plea by the trial court.

Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains then appealed to the Supreme Court. The case will now be sent back to Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to be heard.