Prosecutor seeks time to answer Gurto defense motions
By MARK TODD
The Star-Beacon
JEFFERSON — Prosecutors say they need more time to answer almost a dozen motions filed earlier this month by attorneys representing Joshua Gurto, the Conneaut man accused of raping and killing a 13-month-old girl almost one year ago.
On Tuesday, prosecutors filed a motion with Ashtabula County Common Pleas Judge Marianne Sezon seeking an extension of time to respond to 11 defense motions filed earlier this month. Among the defense motions was a change of venue, which is essentially a request to relocate Gurto’s trial out of the area.
The prosecutor’s office had 14 days to answer the defense motions from the date they were filed on Sept. 5, according to court records. The motion filed Monday did not state how much time the state needed to respond.
Sezon had not ruled on the prosecutor’s motions as of Wednesday afternoon, a court spokesperson said.
In response to an email message, Ashtabula County Prosecutor Nicholas Iarocci said Wednesday afternoon he was involved in a jury trial and unavailable to immediately comment.
Gurto, 38, has been charged in the rape and murder of Sereniti Jazzlyn-Sky Blankenship-Sutley, his girlfriend’s daughter.
The change of venue motion stands out among a handful of motions that deal primarily with a number of procedural matters.
A change of venue is traditionally sought by attorneys who believe their client cannot receive a fair trial in the local court. In such cases, attorneys often cite publicity as a reason to move the trial elsewhere.
Gurto’s attorney, Thomas Shaughnessy, could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday.
Gurto faces eight charges: aggravated murder (two counts) and murder (three counts), both unclassified felony offenses; rape (first-degree felony); felonious assault (first-degree felony) and domestic violence (first-degree misdemeanor).
Death penalty specifications were added to the aggravated murder charges. If found guilty of that charge, he could also be sentenced to life in prison without parole or jailed with parole possible after 25 or 30 years.
The girl died from blunt trauma to her head and trunk, according to the Ashtabula County coroner’s office. Authorities have not released any other details about the crime.
Gurto was formally charged with murder and rape Oct. 13 by Conneaut Law Director Kyle Smith.
He fled the area, hitchhiking and camping in the woods until his capture Oct. 27 in Franklin Park Borough, Pennsylvania.
Gurto was secretly indicted by the Ashtabula County grand jury Nov. 7 and returned to the county from Pennsylvania two days later. He is being held in Ashtabula County Jail in lieu of a $1 million cash or surety bond.
Gurto is not the child’s father, authorities have said.
A pre-trial hearing is set for Oct. 25 in Sezon’s court. A jury trial is scheduled for April 2019.
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