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Ashford Thompson will go on trial Oct. 14 in the shooting death of a Twinsburg police officer after he decided not to waive his speedy trial rights during a court appearance Wednesday.
Thompson, 23, accused of capital murder in last month's shooting death of patrolman Joshua Miktarian, was making his first in-person court appearance before Summit County Common Pleas Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer.
Thompson was shackled and dressed in a red jail jumpsuit, a uniform assigned to inmates considered violent. He was flanked by court-appointed attorneys John Alexander and Anthony Koukoutas.
A contingent of reporters sat in the courtroom's jury box.
The defense attorneys said they have yet to decide whether to ask that the case be moved out of Summit County because of the massive publicity that followed Miktarian's death and Thompson's arrest.
They also took a swipe at Thompson's previous lawyer, Larry Zukerman of Cleveland, who told reporters two days after Miktarian's death that Thompson killed the officer in self-defense, a notion that brought ridicule from the public.
Alexander and Koukoutas would not comment about Thompson's defense strategy.
''We haven't seen any of the evidence yet, so that's one of the reasons why we're not going to be like some other attorneys who don't look at evidence and make grandiose, idiotic statements to the press,'' Koukoutas said after the hearing.
''We at least want to make sure we know what we're talking about before we say anything.''
Stormer initially scheduled Thompson's trial for January. However, when Thompson was asked to sign a waiver of his right to have the case tried within 90 days, he conversed with Koukoutas for several minutes before declining to sign the form.
The judge then scheduled five days of jury selection to begin on Oct. 6, with opening statements by attorneys on Oct. 14.
Another pretrial hearing was scheduled for Wednesday. At that time, Thompson still could agree to waive his speedy trial rights.
Police say Miktarian, 33, a married father of an infant girl, stopped Thompson's car outside the Twinsburg man's home on suspicion of drunk driving and loud music about 2 a.m.
Miktarian was shot four times in the head, including three times while he was on the ground, police sources said.
When he made the self-defense claim on Thompson's behalf, Zukerman declined to explain, offering only a comment about a witness, whom he also declined to name.
October trial set in slaying of Twinsburg police officer
Published on Thursday, Aug 07, 2008
Ashford Thompson will go on trial Oct. 14 in the shooting death of a Twinsburg police officer after he decided not to waive his speedy trial rights during a court appearance Wednesday.
Thompson, 23, accused of capital murder in last month's shooting death of patrolman Joshua Miktarian, was making his first in-person court appearance before Summit County Common Pleas Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer.
Thompson was shackled and dressed in a red jail jumpsuit, a uniform assigned to inmates considered violent. He was flanked by court-appointed attorneys John Alexander and Anthony Koukoutas.
A contingent of reporters sat in the courtroom's jury box.
The defense attorneys said they have yet to decide whether to ask that the case be moved out of Summit County because of the massive publicity that followed Miktarian's death and Thompson's arrest.
They also took a swipe at Thompson's previous lawyer, Larry Zukerman of Cleveland, who told reporters two days after Miktarian's death that Thompson killed the officer in self-defense, a notion that brought ridicule from the public.
Alexander and Koukoutas would not comment about Thompson's defense strategy.
''We haven't seen any of the evidence yet, so that's one of the reasons why we're not going to be like some other attorneys who don't look at evidence and make grandiose, idiotic statements to the press,'' Koukoutas said after the hearing.
''We at least want to make sure we know what we're talking about before we say anything.''
Stormer initially scheduled Thompson's trial for January. However, when Thompson was asked to sign a waiver of his right to have the case tried within 90 days, he conversed with Koukoutas for several minutes before declining to sign the form.
The judge then scheduled five days of jury selection to begin on Oct. 6, with opening statements by attorneys on Oct. 14.
Another pretrial hearing was scheduled for Wednesday. At that time, Thompson still could agree to waive his speedy trial rights.
Police say Miktarian, 33, a married father of an infant girl, stopped Thompson's car outside the Twinsburg man's home on suspicion of drunk driving and loud music about 2 a.m.
Miktarian was shot four times in the head, including three times while he was on the ground, police sources said.
When he made the self-defense claim on Thompson's behalf, Zukerman declined to explain, offering only a comment about a witness, whom he also declined to name.
Thompson was arrested at a relative's home about an hour later, with Miktarian's handcuffs still locked on his wrist. Police sources said Thompson's shirt was bloody and he was using Vaseline in an effort to remove the cuff from his right hand.
Miktarian's widow, Holly, an Oakwood police officer, sat in the courtroom Wednesday with more than a half-dozen other officers. She left with the officers and assistant county prosecutors Brian LoPrinzi and Brad Gessner.
Stormer did not impose a gag order. The case has received immense media coverage since Miktarian was found shot to death next to his cruiser on July 13.
Stormer asked the families of Miktarian and Thompson as well as potential witnesses to refrain from giving interviews to the media. She also asked reporters to respect her request.
Stormer said she wants to limit pretrial publicity that could force her to move the case or cause an appeals court to reverse a verdict.
''It is my intention that this case will be tried in Summit County,'' Stormer said in court. ''It is my intention that this case will be tried in this courtroom and not in the media.''
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Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or
ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
Thompson was arrested at a relative's home about an hour later, with Miktarian's handcuffs still locked on his wrist. Police sources said Thompson's shirt was bloody and he was using Vaseline in an effort to remove the cuff from his right hand.
Miktarian's widow, Holly, an Oakwood police officer, sat in the courtroom Wednesday with more than a half-dozen other officers. She left with the officers and assistant county prosecutors Brian LoPrinzi and Brad Gessner.
Stormer did not impose a gag order. The case has received immense media coverage since Miktarian was found shot to death next to his cruiser on July 13.
Stormer asked the families of Miktarian and Thompson as well as potential witnesses to refrain from giving interviews to the media. She also asked reporters to respect her request.
Stormer said she wants to limit pretrial publicity that could force her to move the case or cause an appeals court to reverse a verdict.
''It is my intention that this case will be tried in Summit County,'' Stormer said in court. ''It is my intention that this case will be tried in this courtroom and not in the media.''
Ashford Thompson attends a hearing in the courtroom of Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer on Wednesday at the Summit County Courthouse in Akron, Ohio. Thompson is accused in the slaying of Twinsburg police officer Josh Miktarian. (Ed Suba Jr./Akron Beacon Journal)
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