Two men sentenced in 2018 murder wfmj.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wfmj.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
YOUNGSTOWN Brian Donlow Jr. was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing Christopher Jackson Jr. on Nov. 18, 2018, in a car at the corner of Bennington and Stewart avenues on the East Side.
Donlow, 26, of Detroit Avenue, already was serving a sentence of 21 years to life after being convicted last year of another 2018 East Side murder the shooting death of Brandon Wylie, 30, on June 18, 2018.
Judge Anthony D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court ordered Donlow’s new sentence be served in addition to his earlier one. The judge handed down both sentences and oversaw both trials.
YOUNGSTOWN Before Judge Anthony D’Apolito announced Wednesday that he had found Brian Donlow Jr. guilty of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and felonious assault in the killing of Christopher Jackson Jr. and wounding of Carlos Davis, he summarized the evidence he heard.
D’Apolito focused on evidence showing three different calibers of weapon fired bullets into Jackson’s body and that a key found in the car where Jackson, 21, and Davis, 24, were shot opened the door at a house in Youngstown associated with Donlow and co-defendant Stephon Hopkins.
He also mentioned Facebook Messenger messages Youngstown Police Detective Michael Lambert obtained were written by Jackson and testimony from Lambert indicating that Davis had identified Donlow, 26, as one of the three men who entered the back seat of the car just before gunfire came from the back seat and into Jackson and Davis.
Brian Donlow Jr. looks into a law book during a break in his aggravated murder trial. In the background is attorney J.P. Laczko, standby attorney appointed for Donlow, who is representing himself. Laczko is there to take over Donlowâs defense if Donlow requests it.
Staff photo / Ed Runyan
YOUNGSTOWN In an aggravated murder trial full of unusual circumstances, another unusual thing happened Tuesday after prosecutors and defendant Brian Donlow Jr. gave opening statements and heard from a couple of witnesses.
Donlow, 26, is serving as his own lawyer even though he has no experience. He also decided to have Judge Anthony D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court decide his case without a jury, which is unusual. Donlow has a standby attorney ready to step in and take over if Donlow decides he needs that.