3 1/2 years and waiting
Appeals, COVID delays prevent defendant from trial in murder case
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YOUNGSTOWN -- Partly because of a delay of more than seven months for an appeal -- and also COVID-19 setbacks -- Myckle J. Hughes has been in the Mahoning County jail awaiting trial on aggravated murder for more than 3 1/2 years.
He was barely 21 when he was booked into the jail in August 2018. He will be 25 in July.
His case is now set for trial March 28 before Judge John Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. Durkin spoke with Hughes in open court Wednesday to discuss a plea offer prosecutors have made and to ensure Hughes understands everything on the table.
Hughes is accused of killing Sean Bell, 18, on Oak Street Extension on Aug. 21, 2018. Bell was a recent graduate of Chaney High School when he was killed. Police initially responded to the scene of a car accident but found Bell's body in the vehicle with gunshot wounds.
During Wednesday hearing, Hughes' attorney, Tom Zena, advised that Hughes maintains his innocence.
Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Day advised the judge that prosecutors have offered Hughes a plea agreement that would recommend Hughes get close to 20 years in prison if he pleads guilty to lesser offenses. Hughes would get credit for the 3 1/2 years awaiting trial.
"That is the absolute best the state can do. It will not go lower than that," Day said.
The judge then addressed Hughes.
"I wanted to go on record to have the opportunity to talk to you, and (Zena) said that's fine ... to make sure you know what would happen if you go to trial and were convicted and what the offer is from the State of Ohio," the judge said.
The judge said Hughes has "the absolute right to a jury trial."
He confirmed with Day the length of time possible if Hughes were to be convicted at trial of aggravated murder. He said Hughes would get one of several life prison sentences and he would have "some discretion" on which one Hughes would receive. The lowest of those is 20 years to life, he said.
Hughes also could get additional time if convicted of a specification that a gun were used and additional time if Hughes were convicted of an additional charge in his indictment. Another possible outcome would be a murder conviction, which carries a lesser sentence than aggravated murder, the judge noted.
The judge also discussed what typically happens when a person goes before a parole board after being convicted of murder -- being denied parole a time or two with about six years in between hearings.
"If you decide to go to trial, that's your right," the judge said. "I wanted you to understand what the last, best offer is."
No resolution was reached at the end of the hearing, so the case is still set for trial March 28.