ANDREW ISAAC GRIFFIN

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Both sides in the case of Andrew Isaac Griffin, accused of double homicide in the deaths of Thomas and Angela Strussion, met in Belmont County Common Pleas Court on Friday afternoon, continuing toward Griffin’s scheduled March 2 trial.

Both prosecutors and Griffin’s attorneys said their work is progressing and nothing should trip them up in meeting Common Pleas Judge Chris Berhalter’s deadlines.

Griffin, accused of killing the Strussions in their Trails End Drive home near Belmont in September 2021, was arrested in Hawaii by Belmont County Sheriff’s Department detectives in February. Following his arrest, he was transported to the Belmont County Jail, where he has been held since.

Griffin’s lawyer, Samuel H. Shamansky, was absent from Friday’s pretrial session but Donald L. Regensburger of Shamansky’s Columbus-based firm was present via videoconference.

Berhalter had set two deadlines for the attorneys: Sept. 30 to file all motions not fact-specific to the case and Nov. 28 to file all fact-specific motions. Both Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan and Regensburger said nothing should keep them from hitting those deadlines.

Regensburger told Berhalter the defense was still in the process of hiring expert witnesses.

“We have a mitigation specialist James Crates,” Regensburger said. “All that’s left essentially, your honor, is actually getting him hired. He sent over his fee statement and we’ve discussed the case with him. There’s no conflicts, there’s no problems.”

Depending on how Crates’ review goes, Regensburger said the defense may hire an additional forensic psychologist. Berhalter told Regensburger that he wasn’t giving him legal advice, but he strongly encouraged him to contact a consulting psychiatrist.

Regensburger said he hasn’t ruled out a consulting psychiatrist but believes that decision will come down the line. Berhalter said he’ll need an update at the next pre-trial hearing on Crates and whether the defense decides to reach out to a consulting psychiatrist.

Flanigan told Berhalter that the defense has been provided all discovery materials as of now, even one in draft form in order to give the defense everything as quickly as possible.

Berhalter then asked Regensburger how the defense is proceeding in reviewing the discovery and where he is in that reviewing process. Regensburger replied that the defense is diligently reviewing the discovery and added that in this case there is a plethora of cell phone data.

“There are phone records that are of the utmost importance, in this case, that still remain to be fully digested. Just due to their importance and the volume of them, but otherwise pursuing proceeding as one might expect,” Regensburger said.

The next pre-trial hearing in the case is scheduled for September 19 at 1:30pm in the Common Pleas Court.