Jurors were not unanimous with their decision delivered Thursday morning on the charges or burglary and domestic violence against Julian Wright.
Lima News file photo
LIMA — Jurors returned a mixed verdict Thursday for a Lima man accused of breaking into a home and allegedly threatening the mother of his infant daughter while he was on probation in January of 2022.
Jurors found Julian D. Wright, 26, guilty of burglary—a second-degree felony and lesser version of an aggravated burglary charge Wright faced at trial—but did not reach an agreement on a second count of domestic violence, resulting in a mistrial for the domestic violence charge.
“I want to apologize,” Wright said on Thursday as he awaited sentencing in Allen County Common Pleas Court, “because I do understand what I did wrong. … I ask for mercy and leniency and help.”
Jurors deliberated for 5 1/2 hours Wednesday before reaching a verdict Thursday morning.
Wright and his family asked the court to sentence him to treatment for alcohol-use disorder, which they say negatively influenced his behavior the night he reportedly broke the front door of a Woodlawn Avenue home where the mother of his infant daughter resided, violating his probation from a previous conviction.
“Give him a chance,” said Wright’s aunt, Julieann Freeman, “because prison does not rehabilitate nobody. It makes them criminal.”
Kaitlin Russell, the mother of Wright’s child, testified Tuesday that Wright threatened to strike her with a brick if she didn’t end a 911 call when he attempted to break into her residence.
Russell was not present Thursday, but a representative from Crime Victim Services told the court Thursday that Russell didn’t wish to get Wright in trouble. Instead, Russell reported the incident out of concern for his mental health, the victim’s advocate said.
Wright denied threatening Russell, testifying Tuesday that he was trying to retrieve an overnight bag from the residence.
Common Pleas Court Judge Terri Kohlrieser sentenced Wright serve to four to six years in prison for the burglary and 18 months for violating his probation, to be served simultaneously with 207 days credited for time Wright served awaiting trial.
In her decision Thursday, Kohlrieser cited Wright’s history of convictions, violating probation and refusing court-ordered treatment, arguing his behavior did not overcome the presumption of prison typical for a second-degree felony conviction.
“The system cannot cure,” she said. “The system can only provide the tools. … There were attempts to help him.”
Wright has 30 days to appeal his conviction.
