Donna Roberts: OPINION JUST IN!!!!

Criminal law — Aggravated murder — Convictions affirmed — Court’s ex parte communication with prosecutor invalidates sentencing opinion — Death penalty vacated and resentencing ordered.

(No. 2003-1441 — Submitted January 24, 2006 — Decided August 2, 2006.)

APPEAL from the Court of Common Pleas for Trumbull County,
No. 01-CR-793.
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Roberts now appeals, raising an array of challenges to her
conviction and sentence. Although we reject all of Roberts’s attacks on her conviction, because of the trial judge’s ex parte use of the prosecutor in directly preparing the court’s sentencing opinion, we must vacate the sentence and remand the case to the trial court for resentencing.
 

READ ENTIRE OPINION:

http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/newpdf/0/2006/2006-ohio-3665.pdf