Man’s request to act as own lawyer delays trial

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

jgoodwin@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

A Campbell man’s request to serve as his own lawyer delayed his trial on charges he took a woman from a South Side bar and sexually assaulted her in Warren last summer.

Gary Freeman, 36, of 12th Street, was scheduled to go on trial today before Judge John Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Freeman is facing two counts of kidnapping, attempted rape and receiving stolen property.

He appeared in court Wednesday with his attorney Mark Lavelle.

A jury had been selected, and several people had been seated in the audience waiting for the trial to begin when Freeman determined he wanted to represent himself.

Judge Durkin ordered a psychiatric evaluation to determine if Freeman is fit to represent himself.

If Freeman is found to be competent to represent himself, the judge will have another hearing to make sure Freeman understands the potential ramifications of his decision.

Until the evaluation and subsequent hearing are completed, Freeman’s trial is on hold.

A South Side woman told police Freeman pulled alongside her on Market Street about 2:35 a.m. June 10 after she left a South Side bar.

Freeman reportedly said, “I like a thick woman,” then told her to get into the car.

The woman told police she believed Freeman had a gun, which was later determined to be a stun gun.

She said Freeman drove her to a spot in Warren, where he stunned her with the stun gun several times then beat her about the face.

Freeman is accused of removing the woman’s pants and underclothes, then performing a sex act on the woman while calling her demeaning names.

The woman said Freeman told her to leave the car and run.

She knocked on several doors, and a nearby resident called police.

Police found the woman at ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital with a swollen shoulder, swollen eye and blood coming from the inside of her mouth.