Summit County jurors recess for weekend without verdict in Stafford brothers' trial

Summit County jurors didn’t reach a verdict Friday after two days of deliberations in the Stafford brothers' trial for charges stemming from Ethan Liming’s death.

Jurors will resume their talks Monday morning.

Deshawn and Tyler Stafford’s four-day trial in Summit County Common Pleas Court wrapped up late Wednesday, with jurors not starting their deliberations until Thursday morning.

Prosecutors said the Staffords went too far when they fought with Liming on the night of June 2 after Liming and three of his friends shot gel-pellet guns at them as they were playing basketball at the I Promise School.

Liming, 17, was punched in the face and knocked out. He fell backward and hit his head on the cement.

Attorneys for the Staffords, though, said witnesses gave conflicting accounts of who did what in the dark parking lot that night. They also said the brothers were defending themselves and each other. They said the burden was on prosecutors to prove this wasn’t self-defense.

Stafford brothers and their cousin were initially charged with murder

The Stafford brothers and their cousin, Donovon Jones, were all initially charged with murder in Liming’s death.

All three are from Akron.

A Summit County grand jury, however, indicted all three on lesser charges, with the brothers both facing the most serious charge of involuntary manslaughter.

Jones, 22, was convicted of two misdemeanor counts of assault.

Deshawn Stafford, 21, was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, first- and third-degree felonies, and one count each of aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony, and assault, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Tyler Stafford, 20, was charged with one count each of involuntary manslaughter, a third-degree felony, and assault, a first-degree misdemeanor.

The first-degree manslaughter charge carries a penalty of up to 11 years in prison, while the third-degree version has a penalty of up to three years in prison.

Liming’s friends, officers and pathologist testify during trial

The Stafford brothers’ trial included testimony from Liming’s three friends who were there on the night of his death, detectives and officers, and the pathologist who did Liming’s autopsy.

The pathologist found that Liming died from blunt force trauma to his head. He said Liming may have died within seconds or minutes of falling and hitting his head.

Deshawn and Tyler chose not to testify and the defense put on no witnesses.

Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Matt Kuhn said during his closing argument that the Staffords and Jones escalated the situation by turning a prank into a fight that was at times 3 on 1, with Liming’s friends not entering the fray.

“Their behavior caused the death of Ethan Liming,” Kuhn said. “They were committing assault on him. It was not a fight. They were attacking him.”

Jon Sinn, though, who represents Deshawn, said in his closing argument that it’s unclear because of conflicting testimony from Liming’s friends who did what during the fight. He also said, even if Deshawn did deliver the punch that resulted in Liming falling, Deshawn did so because he was defending himself and his younger brother.

“In the state of Ohio, you are allowed to use force in self-defense or the defense of another,” Sinn said. “You don’t have to back up from a fight.”

Attorney Donald Gallick, who represented Tyler, argued that no evidence was presented that Tyler caused Liming’s death.

The Rev. Jaland Finney, a pastor who has ministered to the Staffords, said Friday afternoon he remains prayerful about the trial's outcome.

"I will continue to pray — and I ask the community to pray — for these young men," he said.

Reporter Alan Ashworth contributed to this story. Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com, 330-996-3705 and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jurors haven't reached a verdict in trial for Ethan Liming's death