TRIAL COVERAGE | Detective recounts suspects’ interviews

YOUNGSTOWN — Detective Sgt. John Kelty testified today about interviews he conducted with Taran D. Helms and Hattie L. Gilbert.

Kelty said Gilbert watched KFC manager Joe Kaluza for roughly two weeks prior to the robbery on March 24. He said she planned to get a gun, and did; and bullets. She sat across from KFC on South Avenue, followed Kaluza in her car, and staged an accident so that a robbery could be committed, he said.

Kelty testified that Gilbert heard a gun go off, and saw in her rear-view mirror Kaluza slump to the right in his car — and blood.

Gilbert, the detective said, needed money because her sister was evicting her. She consented to a search of her Saturn car and Helms’ drivers license was found in the car.

The jacket in the driver’s license photo was the same as described by a witness to the crime.

Helms, meanwhile, according to Kelty, denied involvement — saying he had been at a girl’s house. He only described the girl as “T.”

John B. Juhasz, Helms’ lawyer, objected to the questioning and Judge Timothy E. Franken of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court called a sibebar conference. After, the judge explained to the jury that there would be a continuing objection to the line of questioning.

Each time assistant Prosecutor Kasey Shidel asked a question, Juhasz objected and the judge overruled. Kelty would wait for the objection, and then answer the question.

Kelty said Helms was looking for a job the morning of the robbery and staying at “T”’s house — although he was unable to provide an address or last name for the woman.