OH Pike County: 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered Over Custody Issue 4 Members Wagner Family Arrested#37

[Jacqueline]

I missed the last half of the live video. Thanks to my great internet service and its snowing here .. Anyone have a copy of the video?

 

[Betty P]

This is my first post on websleuths, but I have been following along the last few threads on this case.

Why is Billy the only one with a fancy attorney? The attorneys name is Mark Collins from Columbus. The rest of the family has public defenders.

Pretty sure they're all appointed by the court in the Death Penalty cases.

Pike County massacre: George Wagner IV pleads not guilty to 22 counts

Pike County massacre: Edward 'Jake' Wagner pleads not guilty to 23 counts

etc

Do you have a link that states Billy Wagner's attorney is not appointed by the court? TIA

 

[RAISINISBACK]

BW seems very nervous and at one point becomes almost agitated, whispering to his attorney. I am going to watch it again later and try to determine what the judge was saying when he gets agitated.

JMO

 

[Betty P]

I missed the last half of the live video. Thanks to my great internet service and its snowing here .. Anyone have a copy of the video?

Keep checking the local (Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton) news sites. They will eventually put up a video of the full version. Takes a while, check this evening, perhaps.

Full length video of previous hearings for the other defendants is located in our Media & Timelines thread.

 

[rsd1200]

This is my first post on websleuths, but I have been following along the last few threads on this case.

Why is Billy the only one with a fancy attorney? The attorneys name is Mark Collins from Columbus. The rest of the family has public defenders.

I'm guessing b/c his mother is paying for his atty.

 

[rsd1200]

That's what I was busy going to ask... when is his birthday?

It's not. His bday is in June. Just checked

 

[altojack]

Deketed

 

[TangySugar22]

Pretty sure they're all appointed by the court in the Death Penalty cases.

Pike County massacre: George Wagner IV pleads not guilty to 22 counts

Pike County massacre: Edward 'Jake' Wagner pleads not guilty to 23 counts

etc

Do you have a link that states Billy Wagner's attorney is not appointed by the court? TIA

I am trying to find a link that states his attorney is not appointed by the court. At the beginning of Billys arraignment I didn't hear the judge say anything about the attorney being court appointed.

 

[Betty P]

I'm guessing b/c his mother is paying for his atty.

I keep hearing this rumor. Is there any truth to it? There was a lot of discussion by DeWine & Junk in the news media after the arrests about the state helping pay for the cost of the DP certified attorneys. After looking at all the attorneys they recruited, I didn't see anything to indicate Billy's was procured privately.

This seems like one of those stories we shouldn't allow to start circulating as fact when we have no proof yet.

TIA.

ETA: Here's a link to the article where Collins talks about moving trial and saying Billy is accused of being the mastermind, seventh grade education, etc., but no mention of court appointed or representing FW.

Defense attorney pushes to move Rhoden family murder trial

 

[altojack]

It's been bugging me at each arraignment but, who is the big guy sitting behind the prosecutors. He looks rather scruffy to be sat so close to them.

 

[Betty P]

Yes she is, I read it the other day , can't remember which news reported it.

Actually it's the same atty that she had, I'm sure that's what news said.

A link would be greatly appreciated. If possible, could you find it and also post it in the Media & Timelines thread? Thanks!

 

[Betty P]

It's been bugging me at each arraignment but, who is the big guy sitting behind the prosecutors. He looks rather scruffy to be sat so close to them.

I've seen 2 or 3 different men sitting behind the prosecutors on varying days. One day it was Leonard Manley, I don't think he's a danger to anyone. Another day, it was Tony Rhoden, he was wearing a blue dress shirt. Also not dangerous. Can you find a photo? That would help.

 

[altojack]

A link would be greatly appreciated. If possible, could you find it and also post it in the Media & Timelines thread? Thanks!

Can't do Betty. On new device in UK and I'm not getting many hits on the subject matter so will delete my post.

 

[Dudly]

I am thinking the white blouse and khaki pants may be some type uniform she wears on the farm. IDK though. It doesn't seem like she would wear a white blouse to work with animals. It is the same blouse she has worn in all the hearings.

JMO

She had to adjust her blouse so the cross was showing better when she saw the camera pointing at her...I hope it means more to her than her mother and brother...

 

[Heather H]

A link would be greatly appreciated. If possible, could you find it and also post it in the Media & Timelines thread? Thanks!

First time post, longtime lurker. Here is the link about his attorney.

Defense attorney pushes to move Rhoden family murder trial

 

[Betty P]

Can't do Betty. On new device in UK and I'm not getting many hits on the subject matter so will delete my post.

That's ok, keep it posted, just say unconfirmed. This info may be accurate, but I'm having a hard time finding it, too. I'll keep looking, but I have to take off again. Will be back later. I'm only skeptical because I've seen the info repeated many times in the "less accurate" social media locations.

 

[Betty P]

First time post, longtime lurker. Here is the link about his attorney.

Defense attorney pushes to move Rhoden family murder trial

Thanks, Heather!

Yeah, I've read and posted that in the Media & Timelines thread. I'll read it again, but am not seeing the part where he says that Billy's mom is paying him or that he's also assigned to her case.

I'll read it again, but I really need to take off right now.

ETA: Here's most of the texts of the linked article. Hope I don't get into trouble for posting it. Not finding anything there

Criminal defense attorney Mark Collins said rural Pike County has been the target of the media spotlight ever since.

"It's one of the few cases in Ohio that I have seen this much media coverage. It's been covered since day one. Every aspect of the case, every twist and turn, and that's what? About 2, 2 and a half years ago," Collins said.

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The Columbus attorney said he will enter a not guilty plea for Billy Wagner when he faces a judge on December 4.

Collins said investigators have labeled his client the mastermind of the murder plot but said Wagner has a seventh-grade education and no serious criminal history.

Investigators in Pike County have charged Billy Wagner, his wife Angela, and the couples two sons, George and Jake Wagner, with aggravated murder with death penalty specifications. That means each defendant must have his or her own jury when their case goes to trial. Collins said seating four fair and impartial juries in Pike County could prove impossible.

"You're hearing about people who have such a divided opinion as to what's happened, or what potentially might have happened, or the reasons, or the motives," said Collins.

Collins said in Franklin County, it's not unusual for attorneys to dismiss hundreds of potential jurors in a capital case before settling on 12 men and women.

Franklin County has a population of nearly 1.3 million people. The population of Pike County is just over 28,000 people.

Collins said it's possible to seat one fair and impartial jury, but said whittling the jury down to 48 men and women who can set aside their opinions and serve as fair and impartial jurors is extremely unlikely, but is it impossible?

"Everyone saw Lee Harvey Oswald get killed on TV by Jack Ruby. And it was live. They were still able to seat a jury," said Collins. "I don't have a crystal ball. I can't predict that there will be too much media attention that most of the jurors have formed opinions, or are too emotionally embraced in the case, or are involved in the case, or have already taken sides."

In Ohio, prosecutors and defense attorneys must at least try to seat a jury before the court will consider moving a trial.

BTW, I agree with him about the need to move the trials. There's no way Pike County can recruit enough jurors for all 6 of those trials.

 

[altojack]

I've seen 2 or 3 different men sitting behind the prosecutors on varying days. One day it was Leonard Manley, I don't think he's a danger to anyone. Another day, it was Tony Rhoden, he was wearing a blue dress shirt. Also not dangerous. Can you find a photo? That would help.

No I can't supply a photo for the same reason as up above. Len was sitting behind the barrier anyway. This guy was sitting directly behind prosecuters.

I'm going to zip it for rest of today. Not getting very far am I lol.

 

[altojack]

That's ok, keep it posted, just say unconfirmed. This info may be accurate, but I'm having a hard time finding it, too. I'll keep looking, but I have to take off again. Will be back later. I'm only skeptical because I've seen the info repeated many times in the "less accurate" social media locations.

Too late.

 

[Betty P]

Too late.

Sorry!

I'll send a message to a reporter and see if we can get a confirmation.