Michael Brelo, the lone patrol officer facing manslaughter charges in the Nov. 29, 2012, police chase and shootout, will not face a jury trial next week.
The ruling from Judge John O’Donnell answers a request put forth by Brelo earlier this week. The bench trial will begin April 6.
From O’Donnell’s ruling:
“During my colloquy with Brelo I advised him of most, if not all, of the differences between a bench trial and a jury trial, and some possible pitfalls of the former. I explicitly told him that as the finder of fact I am prepared to return a verdict of guilty if the evidence proves each element of a charge (or both of them) beyond a reasonable doubt. I am persuaded that he made a knowing, intelligent and voluntary decision to waive a jury trial. Because of that, I have no basis in law to decline to allow Brelo to waive a jury and the state’s March 23 objection to his jury trial waiver is overruled.”
Read more here:
Ruling to Grant Michael Brelo a Bench Trial
This article appears in Mar 25-31, 2015.
