By Kathy Laird
CCN Correspondent
BUCYRUS — Jeremy Lewis, 43, of Bucyrus was granted a continuance in his criminal trial scheduled to begin Aug. 2.
Lewis appeared before Judge Sean Leuthold on Wednesday, in order to ask the court for a new attorney.
According to Lewis, his court-appointed attorney, Andrew Motter, was not providing adequate legal advice. Leuthold noted that normally, if it was a lower-degree case, he would not permit a change of attorney this close to trial.
“I want you to receive a fair trial, and since you are looking at a very lengthy sentence, I am going to accommodate this request,” Leuthold said.
When asked what attorney he would like, Lewis requested the court give him a “couple of days,” to think about it.
Leuthold quickly admonished Lewis telling him that the ultimate decision of who represent him is in the hands of the judge.
“We are going to protect your rights, but we are moving forward with trial, so you can tell me what attorney you want or I will assign one right now,” Leuthold concluded.
Lewis told the court he wanted attorney Tom Nicholson. In the afternoon session Nicholson appeared and took the case.
Nicholson asked the court for a continuance so he could get up to speed on the facts of the case and prepare a defense. Leuthold granted the continuance, but said he wanted to move the trial forward within the next 30-45 days.
Lewis faces a first-degree felony charge of kidnapping, four second-degree felony charges of felonious assault, one second-degree felony charge of burglary, a fourth-degree felony charge of domestic violence and a fourth-degree felony charge of disrupting public services.
If convicted, Lewis faces more than 50 years in prison.
In other court proceedings, Christopher French, 30, of Bucyrus appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court for a hearing regarding his competency. Lewis is charged with a first-degree felony charge of aggravated burglary.
After reviewing the psychological evaluation completed on French, Leuthold declared him incompetent to stand trial and to assist in his defense.
Leuthold ordered an additional evaluation to address French’s intellectual disabilities.
“This is a first-time situation for this court,” Leuthold said. “I am ordering a second evaluation and the court intends to see this matter through to its completion.”