Families, Evidence And Witness Issues Addressed Ahead Of Griffin Trial
ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- As trial for alleged double murderer Andrew Isaac Griffin looms closer, Common Pleas Judge Chris Berhalter is looking to accommodate both the victims' and Griffin's families.
Griffin appeared in Belmont County Common Pleas Court Friday morning.
Griffin is accused of the double homicide of his Salsa Joe's Restaurant business partner, Thomas Strussion, and his wife, Angela Strussion. The couple were murdered in their Trails End Drive home near Belmont in 2021, along with their dogs.
"Now, as both parties are aware, this is not a large courtroom, and I raised for the first time with both parties if either side was requesting this court preserve any seating," Common Pleas Judge Chris Berhalter said.
Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said representatives for both victims have indicated a need for eight reserved seats per victim, totaling 16 seats.
Griffin's attorney, Kate Clark of the Samuel H. Shamansky Law Office, said Griffin is requesting that one seat be reserved for a family member.
On Friday, Berhalter granted Clark's request for an extension regarding exhibits, allowing approximately 30 days before the trial date to prepare all exhibits.
The trial is scheduled for Oct. 19 at 8:30 a.m. Berhalter set the new exhibit filing deadline for Sept. 18.
He then imposed a plea agreement deadline of Sept. 25.
"As I advised both parties, I can never stop your client from entering a guilty plea to all the charges. But with that deadline, if it expires and no resolution is reached, the court will not accept any plea agreement other than your client entering a dispositive plea to all charges in," Berhalter said to Clark.
Clark responded that she understood and indicated she would explain the matter in greater detail to Griffin following the pretrial hearing.
Berhalter then asked Flanagan for an update on an out-of-state witness who has a serious health condition that makes travel difficult.
The unnamed witness previously provided a video-recorded deposition that Berhalter has not yet ruled on as admissible at trial.
Flanagan said he spoke with the witness' wife earlier in the week, who informed him that the witness's health has not improved.
"A couple of things that we can report, and that is that the witness who had previously testified pursuant to a deposition is still undergoing treatment," Flanagan said. "His wife indicates to us that travel is highly unlikely, but obviously we understand that the court would probably want a medical excuse."
Berhalter said a medical excuse could be filed under seal because it involves an individual's personal health information. However, he said he would expect a copy to be provided to the defense.
He then asked Clark whether she had received the video-recorded deposition from the witness and whether she could confirm it had not been edited.
Clark responded that the video was in her possession and that, to her knowledge, it had not been edited in any way.
Berhalter then scheduled the next two pretrial hearings for Aug. 18 at 1:30 p.m. and Sept. 25 at 1:30 p.m.