YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova is opposing release from prison for John Glenn, 61, in the 1981 aggravated murder of Mahoning County Reserve Deputy Sheriff John “Sonny” Litch Jr., 41.

Glenn comes up for parole in November. DeGenova argued against it, saying no circumstances justify the release of Glenn now or in the future.

Glenn was sentenced to death after his conviction, but his death sentence was overturned on appeal and Glenn received a sentence of 30 years to life. He has been in prison 41 years, since September 1982.

“While Glenn has served over 40 years of his life sentence, releasing (him) back into society would not further the interest of justice nor be consistent with the welfare and security of society,” DeGenova stated.

“Glenn’s callous and senseless act deprived Deputy Litch from a lifetime of memories with his family and future grandchildren whom he would never meet. Glenn must remain behind bars.”

Litch was not paid as a reserve deputy. The use of volunteer reserve deputies was common during the time due to a lack of manpower and financial issues caused by budget cuts, according to a prosecutor’s press release. Litch also was a firefighter in Campbell and had a wife and two children.

On Oct. 22, 1981, Litch was transporting inmate Robert Glenn from the Mahoning County jail to a medical appointment and then back to the jail. Unbeknownst to Litch, Robert Glenn’s half-brother, John Glenn, devised a plan to cause the “escape” of Robert Glenn during the transport. While on the way, Litch stopped his vehicle at a traffic light downtown. His car was struck from the rear by another vehicle. Litch got out of his squad car and started to walk toward the other car. John Glenn ambushed him shooting him at “blank range.”

While Litch lay dying in the street, Robert Glenn left Litch’s cruiser and entered John Glenn’s vehicle, and they drove off.

JOHNNY LYNN

DeGenova also objected to the release of inmate Johnny Lynn, 66, who is up for parole in November. Lynn was convicted of murder by a jury in September 1996 and got a sentence of 15 years to life in prison.

Lynn had a history of criminal activity spanning three states. According to his criminal history report, he was convicted of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, assault on a peace officer, carrying a dangerous knife, theft, escape and burglary while living in Indiana and Michigan. He eventually relocated to Ohio, where he brutally murdered Tonya Evett North over $8, according to a prosecutor’s office press release.

Lynn and North were acquaintances living in the same neighborhood. North occasionally sold drugs to Lynn. On July 3, 1996, Lynn and North got into an argument over money. After the argument, North went to her home, and Lynn went to his brother’s home. Later that day, Lynn and North ran into each other and got into a fight during which Lynn fatally stabbed North. Police were called and began looking for Lynn, who was found soon afterward hiding in his basement and was arrested. A bloody knife was recovered five feet from where he was found.

SHAWN ROZIER

Ralph Rivera, chief of the criminal division of the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office objected to the release from prison of Shawn Rozier, 48, who was recently eligible for parole. The Ohio Parole Board denied parole, and Rozier is now eligible for his next parole hearing in November 2028, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction website.

Rozier is serving a 28-years-to-life sentence for the murder of Kristi Gardner. Rozier, Gardner and Maria Rivera exchanged stolen clothing for crack cocaine. Then Rivera and Gardner were left alone in Rozier’s apartment on West Philadelphia Avenue in Youngstown, where they took back some of the clothes they had earlier traded to Rozier. The women took the clothes and traded them for more crack cocaine from another drug dealer, according to a prosecutor’s press release.

After trading the clothes, Rivera and Gardner returned to Rozier’s apartment early Dec. 17, 1995. Having learned what the two women did, Rozier forced them into his apartment, assaulted them with his gun and held the gun to Rivera’s head, threatening her. Rozier then put the gun to Gardner’s head and shot her. Afterward, Rozier forced Rivera to drag Gardner from his apartment to an empty garage across the street where he shot Gardner again. Rozier fired several shots at Rivera but she was able to escape.

Youngstown police found Gardner, who was still alive, and followed a blood trail to Rozier’s apartment across the street. When Rozier answered his door and observed the officers, he immediately ran. Inside Rozier’s apartment, police found blood, a bloody mop and bucket, and a .44 caliber revolver. On Dec. 22, 1995, Gardner died as a result of her gunshot wounds. Rozier turned himself in on Jan. 11, 1996.

After a jury trial, Rozier was convicted of murder, with a gun specification, tampering with evidence, and felonious assault with a gun specification.