Staff photo / Ed Runyan Johnny Serrano Jr., left, stands with his attorney, Dave Betras, during a motions hearing Tuesday morning before jury selection began in Serrano’s aggravated murder trial. At right is Jennifer Paris, assistant Mahoning County prosecutor.

YOUNGSTOWN — Jury selection in the Johnny Serrano Jr. aggravated murder case took place Tuesday in the Sept. 18, 2022, shooting death of Yarnell Green Jr. 32, outside a downtown tavern, and testimony will begin today.

Green was the boyfriend of Alexis Schneider, mother of Rowan Sweeney, at the time the 4-year-old was shot to death Sept. 21, 2020, in a home on Perry Street in Struthers. Green and Schneider were among the four adults in the home who were also shot, but survived.

Serrano, of Campbell and Struthers, is on trial for aggravated murder, murder, involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault, each with a specification of using a firearm in commission of the crimes. Police said at the time of the killing they were not aware of any connection between Green’s death and Rowan’s death.

Capt. Jason Simon, head of the detective division of the Youngstown Police Department, said last year that Serrano and Green argued inside O’Donold’s Irish Pub, 122 W. Federal St., and both were kicked out of the bar. Green was shot outside of the bar “within minutes” of that, Simon said.

In Rowan’s killing, the boy was staying overnight at the Perry Street home with his mother and Green when a man entered the house with a hooded sweatshirt pulled up around his face and shot everyone, killing Rowan, according to a police report. Police believe the incident began as a robbery.

The aggravated murder charge in Serrano’s case alleges Serrano killed Green “with prior calculation and design.” If convicted of that offense, Serrano could get a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, but not the death penalty.

The murder charge accuses Serrano of purposely causing the death of Green or causing his death as a result of committing a felonious assault against Green.

Serrano’s indictment in the Green killing also includes a charge of having weapons while not allowed and illegal possession of a firearm in liquor permit premises.

Oral arguments during a motion hearing Tuesday morning before jury selection began suggested that Serrano plans to testify at the trial and argue that he acted in self-defense in Green’s death.

Marty Hume, assistant county prosecutor, filed a motion Tuesday asking that the defense not be allowed to argue that Serrano acted in self defense, stating “as a matter of law, there is no legally sufficient evidence that the defendant’s use of force was in self defense.”

Hume’s filing states that Serrano killed Green about 1:40 a.m. that morning in a confrontation on Federal Street near Hazel Street. It would not have happened if Serrano and his friends would have continued into the rear parking lot, gotten into their vehicle and left, Hume stated.

Serrano admitted that he intentionally met up with Green on Federal Street to “go fight, and he had the specific purpose of confronting Mr. Green,” Hume said during the hearing.

But Dave Betras, one of Serrano’s lawyers, said the evidence will show that Serrano “did not want to shoot” Green. Instead, “Green pulled out a gun, and that’s when my client pulled out his gun.”

The judge said he would rule on the motion later.

erunyan@vindy.com