Judge denies motions in homicide case
Mar. 5—Leighton Jade Weaver, the accused gunman in the shooting death of Lance Louis, is heading for trial.
Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge J. Craig Cox has denied a pretrial motion and a writ of habeas corpus relief for Weaver, 21, of Youngstown, who is charged with homicide in the April 19 death of Louis. He is accused of shooting Louis in his car on Adams Street. When Louis tried to drive away, reportedly already mortally wounded, his car smashed into a sign and caught fire, according to information filed in court by New Castle police.
Weaver had appeared in Cox's court Feb. 5 for a hearing on the pre-trial motion and a filing by his attorney to determine whether there was enough evidence for him to stand trial. Motto's order following the hearing is that Weaver will remain on the trial list.
District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa, who is prosecuting the case, said he anticipates Weaver's jury trial beginning the second week of April.
A witness at the scene the night of the shooting testified he watched Weaver get out of a car in the 1000 block of Adams Street on the city's East Side and walk over to the driver's side of Louis' car and saw him fire a shot.
Louis' girlfriend, who had been sleeping in his car next to him, testified she awoke when she heard gunfire, and Louis told her he was shot. After being shot in the lower back, Louis' car accelerated and crashed into a sign several feet away and caught fire.
The girlfriend told the court she suffered brain swelling and a shattered ankle and heel bone when the car crashed. She and Louis were living together and had been visiting a house on the Lower East Side that night. Later, they were going to a friend's home on the Upper East Side for Louis to get his hair cut, she told the court.
After being shot, Louis, still driving, said to her, "I've been shot. Tell my mom and dad that I love them."
The Lawrence County coroner affirmed the cause of Louis' death was the gunshot wound and not the injuries he sustained in the subsequent crash and fire. His death was ruled a homicide.
Weaver left Lawrence County and was at large for more than a month after the killing. He was arrested in Florida and extradited to New Castle. He faces one charge each of criminal homicide, illegal possession of a firearm and recklessly endangering another person. He remains in the Lawrence County jail without bond.
Weaver's court-appointed defense attorney in the case is Michael Bonner.
Assistant District Attorney Emily Sanchez-Parodi is assisting Lamancusa in the prosecution.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty or adjudicated in court.
