BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—In preparation for the upcoming murder trial of Thomas Brown of Bucyrus, an evidentiary hearing was held on Monday afternoon in the Crawford County Common Pleas Court.
Brown has been indicted on counts of murder and involuntary manslaughter. The first count, unclassified murder, alleges that Brown intentionally caused the death of Sean Casarro on January 22, 2023. If convicted of murder, Brown could face life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving fifteen years.
The second count, involuntary manslaughter, states that Casarro died during the commission of a felony, specifically felonious assault. If convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Brown could be sentenced to up to eleven years in prison.
During the hearing, Crawford County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold addressed several important matters. The final pretrial for the case will be scheduled for a day-long hearing on May 15.
Jury selection is set to take place on May 20, with opening arguments scheduled for May 21. The trial is expected to conclude no later than May 28.
Brown’s attorney, James Mayer, of Mansfield, will contend his client acted in self-defense.
Judge Leuthold commended both the State and the defense for their preparedness during the proceedings. Topics discussed included expert witnesses for both sides, with Leuthold reminding the attorneys that expert testimony is meant to assist the jurors in their verdict, not to determine guilt or innocence.
The defense still has the opportunity to present their own medical expert to respond to the State’s planned expert.
Leuthold emphasized the respectful use of autopsy photos during the trial, aiming to avoid unnecessary distress to the victim’s family and prejudice against the defendant.
Leuthold mentioned that toxicology reports revealed the presence of methamphetamines in the victim’s bloodstream, but they were not the cause of his death.
Both sides agreed to this stipulation.
Strangulation was determined to be the cause of Mr. Casarro’s death. The methamphetamines may be relevant to other aspects of the case but not as the cause of death.
Leuthold also noted the existence of video statements from several witnesses in the case. Additionally, a phone dump of conversations between the victim and an unidentified female is being prepared for the defense, which the State expects to provide in the near future.
Concluding the hearing, Leuthold made it clear that no character assassination would be permitted from either side. He emphasized that this is a murder trial where the victims seek justice, and the defendant is entitled to a fair trial.
Crawford County Now will continue to provide comprehensive coverage of this trial.