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WARREN — A man accused of a home invasion burglary in Champion and more charges of violence in Mahoning County will be defending himself in both cases.
Michael A. Rivers, 38, of Potomac Avenue, Youngstown, appeared before Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge W. Wyatt McKay on Wednesday, asking to defend himself and to fire his public defender.
Under the judge’s questioning, Rivers said he was not happy with his defense team and the way his case was going, with no trial scheduled yet. McKay immediately scheduled a June 6 trial on the burglary charge. But Rivers remained steadfast in his request, saying he was allowed to defend himself in his Mahoning County case.
McKay relented, reading a litany of rights the defendant would have with counsel. Rivers waived all those rights.
Assistant Prosecutor Gabriel Wildman offered the defendant a plea deal in which Rivers would serve 16 to 21 years in prison in exchange for guilty pleas to the first-degree burglary felony and two counts of having weapons under restrictions. The burglary count carried a gun specification that calls for mandatory three years in prison.
Rivers laughed at the offer, which Wildman said he interpreted as rejecting it.
Read more in Monday’s Vindicator.