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Thread: David Royce Martin - Ohio Death Row

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    David Royce Martin - Ohio Death Row




    Man Will Face Death Penalty for Warren Murder

    A Warren man accused of fatally shooting a man and injuring a woman in an apparent robbery attempt last month will face the death penalty if convicted.

    David Martin, 28, of Belmont St. N.E., was indicted by a Trumbull County grand jury on Wednesday on 2 counts of aggravated murder with death penalty specifications for the Sept. 27 fatal shooting of Jeremy Cole, 21.

    Martin was also charged with attempted murder with sentencing enhancements for using a gun during the crime and for being a repeat violent offender, 2 counts of aggravated robbery, 2 counts of kidnapping, having weapons as a felon, receiving stolen property and tampering with evidence.

    Martin faces death penalty specifications for committing a murder in the commission of aggravated robbery and another for committing the murder during the kidnapping. In order for Martin to be death-penalty eligible, prosecutors must prove the murder was committed during either the kidnapping, robbery or both.

    He also faces a death penalty specification that he killed or tried to kill 2 or more people.

    Martin is being held in the Trumbull County Jail on $1.5 million bond.

    Martin was arrested with a gun at an acquaintances home in Tallmadge by U.S. Marshals.

    Police believe Martin fatally shot Cole in the head Sept. 27 during an apparent robbery attempt at his Oak St. S.W. home. Another woman who lived at the home, Melissa Putnam, was shot in the hand and neck but was released from the hospital a few days after the shooting.

    Martin has served 2 separate stints in prison for convictions in Cuyahoga County. Court records show Martin was sentenced to 6 years in prison in 2001 after he pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated robbery with a sentencing enhancement for using a gun during the crime.

    Shortly after he was released from prison, he was charged in another robbery.

    Martin was sentenced to 3 years in prison in 2007 for attempted robbery with a sentencing enhancement for using a gun, possessing weapons as a felon and possessing drugs.

    (Source: WYTV News)
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    Shooting victim removed from court

    A 29-year-old Warren woman who was shot while her friend was murdered in a nearby room in her house in September lashed out at her accused attacker in court Tuesday.

    Melissa Putnam was quickly removed from the courtroom of Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Andrew Logan, who was hearing an initial pre-trial for David Martin, 28, of Cleveland, who could face the death penalty in the Sept. 27 murder of Jeremy Cole, Putnam's friend.

    Cole, 21, was shot in the head, and Putnam, 29, was shot in the hand. The bullet traveled through her hand into her neck, and she spent several days in the hospital before recovering.

    Attorneys in the courtroom about 11 a.m. said Martin antagonized Putnam by ''mouthing'' remarks to her - some of which could be considered incriminating.

    One attorney claims Martin, who was in the jury box, said, ''I should have shot you'' to Putnam.

    And Larry and Wanda Cole, parents of the murder victim, said Martin snapped at Putnam that she was the one who tied Cole up (before the murder). Putnam yelled back, ''You made me tie him up!''

    Police initially never reported that both Cole and Putnam were tied up and placed in different rooms at 2220 Oak Circle S.W. during the apparent robbery.

    After a heated exchange, Putnam was removed from Logan's courtroom, screaming obscenities while she was handcuffed and taken across the street to Trumbull County Jail.

    Putnam's father followed her out of the court before Martin's court proceeding started. Other deputies were called to the third-floor court to assist as Putnam's yells were heard throughout the building.

    Putnam eventually apologized to deputies and was never charged.

    Logan said he was signing a journal entry that called for between four and six deputies to handle security during future hearings for Martin.

    Logan also scheduled a tentative trial date for Martin on May 20 and the next pre-trial on Feb. 15.

    A team of three defense attorneys for Martin were approved to hire a psychological expert and a mitigation expert to assist them in the case.

    Martin was indicted in October on charges of aggravated murder with the death penalty specifications and attempted aggravated murder.

    Martin also faces firearms specifications on both charges as well as counts of aggravated robbery, kidnapping and a repeat violent offender specification, having weapons while under disability, receiving stolen property because it is alleged he used a stolen gun and tampering with evidence because he tried to burn his clothes.

    U.S. Marshals arrested Martin on Oct. 16 in Tallmadge.

    Neighbors described the incident as an attempted robbery. One said Cole and Putnam were inside when another man entered and opened fire.

    Detectives confirmed that money was stolen from Putnam's purse by the gunman.

    A detective said Cole and Putnam knew Martin, but weren't aware of his name. Putnam reportedly told detectives Martin had been in the house before. Another detective said Martin has a prior criminal record and had served prison time out of Cuyahoga County for robbery and felonious assault.

    http://www.tribtoday.com/page/conten....html?nav=5021
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    Man facing capital murder trial sentenced to nearly 22 years on federal gun crime

    A former Cleveland man awaiting a capital murder trial in the killing of a Warren man a year ago has been sentenced to almost 22 years in prison on a federal gun charge connected to the “Little D-Town” investigation.

    David Martin, 29, received a sentence of 262 months — two months short of 22 years — Thursday before Judge John R. Adams of U.S. District Court.

    David Toepfer, an assistant U.S. attorney, said Martin’s sentence was automatically elevated because he had three previous convictions on violent felony offenses.

    “He’s what in federal court we call an armed career criminal. He was automatically facing a 15-years-to-life prison sentence,” Toepfer said.

    Martin was convicted at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm for delivering a rifle to undercover federal agents Sept. 6 at a fake store agents opened on U.S. Route 422 in Warren called Stinky Pete’s.

    The store opened in the spring of 2012, selling clothing and other items, but its true purpose was to buy drugs and weapons as part of the “Little D-Town” investigation that later produced federal indictments against 55 people and Trumbull County indictments naming 42 people.

    The investigation was called “Little D-Town” because of the Detroit connection investigators observed in much of Warren’s crime at the time.

    The indictments and arrests in the 10-month investigation were revealed in April 2013, but by that time Martin also had been indicted in the Sept. 27 slaying of Jeremy Cole, 21, and attempted murder of Melissa Putnam, 29.

    Martin is scheduled to go on trial on those charges in Common Pleas Court Jan. 22. If convicted, he could get the death penalty.

    The Cole killing took place about three weeks after agents videotaped Martin possessing a rifle at Stinky Pete’s. Cole was killed at Putnam’s house on Oak Street Southwest.

    Martin is accused of entering Putnam’s house, ordering her to tie up Cole and find the keys to Cole’s car, then shooting Cole, who lived on Robert Avenue Northwest in Warren.

    Martin then went to another room and shot Putnam in the back of the head, but her hand blocked the shot from penetrating her skull, and she survived.

    Federal documents say Martin has numerous identifying marks and tattoos on his body, including some indicating a gang affiliation.

    Martin was not allowed to possess a firearm because he had been convicted of felonious assault in in 2009, attempted robbery, drug possession and felon in possession of a firearm in 2007, and aggravated robbery in 2001.

    http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/oct/1...-ch/?newswatch
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    Testimony: Suspect spotted at scene day before Warren shooting

    By CHRISTOPHER BOBBY
    The Tribune-Chronicle

    WARREN - A local man testified Friday that he saw a man he later learned was David Martin at what would become a murder scene a day later. And the witness said Martin had a gun tucked into his waistband.

    James Hillard, 35, of Warren, was on the witness stand at a suppression hearing leading up to the April 9 capital murder trial of Martin, who is accused of killing 21-year-old Jeremy Cole and wounding Cole's friend Melissa Putnam on Sept. 27, 2012, at a home on Oak Circle S.W.

    Hillard said he renewed a friendship with Putnam through Facebook and went to see her Sept. 26, 2012, to ''hang out.'' He described a man he later picked out of a police photo lineup as Martin.

    ''I talked about being in the home improvement business. He was bragging about being tougher than younger guys on the street. He said he had been to prison and flashed the gun,'' Hillard said.

    Hillard said tattoos under the eyes and on his neck helped identify Martin, according to the testimony. He said he had a bad feeling about Martin.

    Hillard, who said he smoked marijuana with Putnam, said it was days later when he got a call from Putnam, who was in the hospital recovering from a bullet wound. ''She told me I was right, and that the same dude shot her.''

    Hillard was the last witness in the suppression hearing that has taken three sessions in the courtroom of Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Andrew Logan, who will await further written arguments before ruling whether Hillard's identification and other methods of identification and certain statements remain as evidence in the trial.

    Defense attorneys for Martin also got permission to hire a neuropsychologist for up to $8,250 to examine Martin for any mitigation in the case.

    Prosecutors and the defense also will give Logan more written arguments on whether the defense must share certain prison records about Martin with the prosecution before trial.

    Martin, who served prison time before, blurted out what amounts to a confession when they arrested him in Akron in connection to Cole's murder. The defense argued earlier to suppress those remarks.

    Putnam also testified earlier that she sold marijuana to Martin.

    Cole was shot in the head and Putnam, 29, was shot in the hand. The bullet traveled through her hand and into her neck, and she spent four days in the hospital.

    Cole and Putnam were both tied up and placed in different rooms at the home during the apparent robbery. Martin allegedly made Putnam tie up Cole at gunpoint, then Martin tied up Putnam. She said her face was covered with a towel.

    Martin could face the death penalty if convicted of the aggravated murder charge and the aggravated circumstances. He also faces firearms specifications on counts of aggravated robbery, kidnapping and a repeat violent offender specification, having weapons while under disability, receiving stolen property because it is alleged he used a stolen gun, and tampering with evidence because he tried to burn his clothes.

    http://www.tribtoday.com/page/conten....html?nav=5021

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    Defendant’s vow to grab gun leads to request for cuffs during trial

    A prosecutor has asked a judge to require a Cleveland man charged with killing a Warren man and attempting to kill a Warren woman to be restrained with handcuffs during his trial scheduled to begin May 9.

    Chris Becker, assistant Trumbull County pro- secutor, filed a motion Tuesday with Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court seeking the unusual step because of a remark David Martin, 29, purportedly made to a corrections officer recently at the Trumbull County jail.

    The officer said Martin told the officer after a hearing last month, “When I go to trial, I’m going to grab the first gun I can when I have a chance to. I’m not going to death row.”

    Martin could get the death penalty if convicted of aggravated murder and at least one of the death-penalty specifications.

    In the filing, Becker said a criminal defendant is generally entitled to appear in court without shackles, “as the presumption of innocence may be undermined when the defendant is presented in restraints.”

    But he cited case law in which other courts have required a defendant to be shackled to prevent violence or escape.

    “The defendant is on trial for a case in which he killed one person and tried to kill another,” the motion says.

    “The defendant has confessed to those crimes. The defendant has also been previously convicted of felony offenses of violence. During the course of this case, he was involved in a verbal barrage involving the surviving victim in the courtroom,” the document said.

    A report on the incident filed at the jail warns all corrections officers and courthouse security personnel to “use extreme caution when dealing with this mentioned inmate.”

    Judge Logan has not ruled on Becker’s request, though earlier he indicated that Martin could appear in civilian clothing during the trial.

    Martin, who already received a 22-year federal prison sentence last October for a gun crime he committed in Warren, is accused of killing Jeremy Cole, 21, and nearly killing Melissa Putnam, 27, at a house on Oak Street Southwest on Sept. 27, 2012.

    According to testimony at a suppression hearing in February, Martin told a deputy U.S. marshal in October 2012 regarding the Oak Street crimes: “I did what I had to do. I can accept the needle.” Ohio uses lethal injection to execute prisoners on death row.

    Court and prison records indicate Martin had been a prisoner at the Trumbull Correctional Institute during part of a five-year prison term for a weapons charge, felonious assault and attempted robbery. He had been out of prison only a short time when he purportedly committed the crimes on Oak Street

    http://www.vindy.com/news/2014/mar/0...uffs-at-trial/
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    Suspect in Trumbull County jail hostage crisis facing death penalty case

    WARREN, Ohio - One of the three inmates identified as being involved in a hostage situation at the Trumbull County jail faces criminal charges that could bring the death penalty if convicted.

    The three are accused of taking a correctional officer hostage at knifepoint in a jail cell Wednesday afternoon.

    Authorities say that one of the suspects, David Martin, 29, of Cleveland is awaiting trial for the murder of Jeremy Cole in Warren in September, 2012.

    Martin was a neighbor of Cole, who was shot to death during a break in at his home on Oak Circle SW. A woman was also wounded during the crime.

    Wanda Cole, Jeremy Cole's mother, said "What it was over I don't know. I'm just waiting for justice to be served for him and why he murdered my son that's all I want to know."

    Cole's mother and sister were outside the jail during the hostage situation Martin was allegedly involved in Wednesday.

    "I think it's crazy myself," said Wanda Cole.

    Amy Biles, Cole's sister, said "He gets what he deserves. He thinks he has nothing else to live for. He gets what he deserves."

    The Trumbull County Grand Jury handed up a ten count indictment against Martin, charging him with aggravated murder, robbery, kidnapping, weapons violations, receiving stolen property and tampering with evidence.

    Because of the seriousness of the offenses, the crimes are a capital offense.

    Martin has yet to go on trial. His next hearing is scheduled for May.

    In 2007, Martin was sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of robbery, assault, drug and weapons offenses in Cuyahoga County. Martin is still on probation for another year.

    A second suspect in the hostage situation has been identified as Kevin Johns, 24, of Cincinnati. Johns was just sentenced in Trumbull County Court this month to 28 years in prison for kidnapping two Warren women and raping one of them.

    The sentencing judge also designated Johns as a sex offender, meaning he has to register his whereabouts with authorities after he is released from prison.

    In 2010, Johns was sentenced to three years in prison for robbery and assault in Cincinnati. He is on probation until 2016.

    Richard Ware, 27, of Warren was also named as one of the three suspects in the hostage situation.

    Warren police charged Ware with aggravated robbery in January. Ware was a suspect in the December robbery at a CVS pharmacy in Warren.

    In 2011, Ware was sentenced to one year in prison for robbery and drug violations committed in Trumbull County. His probation is set to expire in July of next year.

    http://www.wfmj.com/story/25325279/s...h-penalty-case

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    Trumbull capital murder trial to proceed Aug. 28

    WARREN -- Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court ruled one murder suspect is competent to stand trial Aug. 28 and one competent to be evaluated again.

    The judge’s ruling Tuesday that David Martin is able to understand criminal proceedings and aid in his defense means his murder trial will take place starting Aug. 28.

    It will take a week or so to pick a jury and then testimony will begin in a trial that will determine whether Martin, 29, originally from Cleveland, should get the death penalty for purportedly killing Jeremy Cole, 21, and wounding a woman at a house on Oak Street Southwest in October 2012.

    Martin is being housed in Mahoning County jail as a result of him being accused of being one of three men who took a Trumbull County jail corrections officer hostage for five hours in April.

    Judge Logan also ruled that Royce Honaker, 60, of Southington, has been restored to competency to stand trial in the death of his wife, Donna, 58, in their home in July 2013.

    Honaker, of Countyline Turnpike Road, was taken to the state mental hospital in Massillon for evaluation of his mental-health issues after he refused to be evaluated while he was locked up in the county jail.

    Honaker’s attorney asked earlier that Honaker be evaluated to determine whether he is not guilty by reason of insanity, meaning he was not sane at the time his wife died.

    The next step will be to have Dr. Thomas G. Gazley, a psychologist with the Forensic Diagnostic Center in Austintown, evaluate Honaker to advise the court on that matter.

    In another murder case, Judge Logan has taken under advisement the reports of three mental-health experts that disagree with each other on whether Patrick Heltzel, 20, of Atlantic Street Northeast was sane at the time he is alleged to have killed Milton A. Grumbling III, 71, at Grumbling’s house on Kincaid East Road in Warren Township.

    http://www.vindy.com/news/2014/aug/1...al-to-proceed/

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    Capital murder case trial set to begin Monday in Warren

    YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) — Opening statements are set to begin Monday for a capital murder case in Warren.

    And along with it comes plans for heightened security.

    David Martin faces the death penalty in the killing of Jeremy Cole almost two years ago.

    Police say the suspect was tied up during robbery and shot in the head.

    A woman. Melissa Putnam, was also shot but survived.

    If convicted, the jury could recommend Martin be executed, serve life in prison with no chance of parole or parole after at least 20-years.

    http://wytv.com/2014/09/07/capital-m...day-in-warren/

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    Security tight at Warren murder trial

    There's increased security for a death penalty case in Trumbull County. Even the defendant is wearing a bullet proof vest under his shirt.

    David Martin is on trial, accused of murdering 21-year-old Jeremy Cole.

    In that alleged crime, Martin also allegedly shot Melissa Putnam in September of 2012 but she lived and will testify against Martin in this trial.

    The prosecution and defense gave opening statements. “This defendant shot Jeremy Cole at pointblank range right in his face, right between the eyes, right on the bridge of the nose,” said Chris Becker, Trumbull County prosecutor.

    “I'm not going to tell you David Martin did not shoot and kill Jeremy Cole. I'm not going to tell you that he didn't shoot and injure Melissa Putnam,” said defense attorney Matthew Pentz.

    His attorneys want to keep Martin from receiving the death penalty.

    He was also allegedly one of the inmates who held a Trumbull County deputy hostage back in April.

    He was sentenced in 2013 to almost 22 years in prison after authorities linked him to a drug and weapons pipeline between Warren and Detroit.

    http://www.wfmj.com/story/26480587/s...n-murder-trial
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    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

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    September 11, 2014

    Verdict reached in David Martin murder case


    WARREN, Ohio (WYTV) – A Trumbull County jury found David Martin guilty in the murder of a Warren man.

    Martin was found guilty on all 10 counts, including aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

    Sentencing is set for next week. He could get the death penalty.

    The verdict came in about 4:30 p.m.Thursday. Closing arguments wrapped up about 10 a.m. Prosecutors summed up their case then.

    “Make no mistake, he was engaged in a course of conduct to kill or attempt to kill two or more people. Jeremy Cole was flat out executed,” said Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Chris Becker.

    The jury deliberated for about six hours.

    Martin has been standing trial for the death of Jeremy Cole and the wounding of a woman during what investigators say was an attempted robbery in the fall of 2012 and is currently serving 21 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a weapon.

    On Tuesday, Deputy U.S. Marshal Bill Boldin detailed what Martin said to police as they were transporting him back to Warren.

    According to Boldin, Martin told him, “‘I did what I had to do.’ He then followed up with, ‘I can accept the needle. I did what I did but I had to.’ He then said, ‘I’m the trigger man. You got the gun. I’m hit. I’ve got no reason to lie,’” Boldin said.

    Prosecution and defense lawyers decided Tuesday afternoon to excuse a female juror in the trial who received a call in regards to Martin’s case Monday night.

    An alternate juror took the woman’s place, and the judge in the trial emphasized that the jury should not tweet, use Facebook, or read news on the trial while hearing the case.

    The family of the female juror who is part of Martin’s hearing said someone called the woman around 10 p.m. Monday night and threatened her. Her family said they believed it was Martin who called her. The family said that they are not friends with Martin and do not know how he got the woman’s phone number.

    However, Judge Andrew Logan released a statement saying Martin was not the person who made the phone call to the juror. Mahoning County jail officials, which is where Martin is being held, said they alerted the court about a phone call Martin made Monday night that they were monitoring. They are reviewing their audio and video recordings.

    Logan also ordered that Martin not contact anyone except his legal counsel until further notice and ordered Martin’s incoming and outgoing mail to be monitored.

    Martin is currently being held at the Mahoning County Jail, where he was transferred after he and two other inmates took a corrections officer hostage at the Trumbull County Jail in April.

    Authorities provided a security escort for the juror on her way to the courtroom Tuesday.

    http://wytv.com/2014/09/11/verdict-r...n-murder-case/

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