First Posted: 4/6/2015
WAPAKONETA — A man facing the death penalty in the beating death of a Uniopolis man last year waived his right to a speedy trial Monday to give his defense team more time to prepare his case.
Joseph Furry, 30, of Van Wert, waived his speedy trial rights through March 31. Judge Frederick Pepple of Auglaize County Common Pleas Court told Furry his intent was to hold the trial before that date.
The judge also gave Furry’s legal team until May 8 to file pretrial motions. Furry’s lead attorney, Bill Kluge, said he has not filed any motions but will start and added it’s not uncommon to file more than 100 motions in a death penalty case.
Furry is one of three men charged in the June 9 death of Charles Hicks, 54. Hicks was found beaten to death inside his apartment at 2 Main St. in Uniopolis. A possible motive was identified in court records that Hicks was killed to prevent him from testifying as a witness in a criminal case.
James Dinsmore, 28, and Aaron Dietrich, 26, of Wapakoneta, also are facing the death penalty in connection with Hicks’ death.
The men are charged with two counts of aggravated murder and one count each of aggravated burglary, kidnapping and intimidation of a witness.
