7 of 8 charged in Hamilton shootings appear in court

UPDATE, 2:10 p.m.:

Melinda Ann Gibby, 35, of Lancaster, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder with a death penalty specification alleging the crimes were for hire for the Central Avenue shooting.

Her attorneys, David Brewer and Tamara Sack, enter not guilty pleas on her behalf.

Bond for Gibby has been set at $5 million.

UPDATE, 1:40 p.m.:

Michael Grevious II, 23, of Maple Ave., Hamilton, is charged with one count of aggravated murder with a death penalty specification alleging the crime was for hire and classifying him as a repeat violent offender for the Central Avenue shooting.

He is also charged with felonious assault and the classification of a repeat violent offender and having weapons under disability for the Doubles Bar shooting.

Grevious pleaded not guilty. He is represented by David Washington and Ed Kathman. His bond was set at $5 million.

UPDATE, 1 p.m.:

Cory Cook II, 23, of 9th Street, Hamilton, is charged with felonious assault for the Doubles Bar Shooting. bar with the specification that a gun was used in the crime.

Cook has hired attorney Dennis Adams to represent him.

According to Adams, Cook has a “limited” criminal past. He told the judge that Cook is the father of two and is employed.

Cook turned himself in to police shortly after the Central Avenue shooting.

Bond was set for Cook at $500,000. His trial date is set for Oct. 11.

UPDATE, 11:36 a.m.:

Tony Patete, 23, of Newark, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder with a death penalty specification alleging the crimes were for hire, for the Central Avenue shooting.

Patete is represented by attorneys Elizabeth Agar and William Oswall Jr. He told the judge that he will not be hiring his own attorney.

Patete was released from prison two weeks before the Central Avenue shooting after being convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, according to court records.

Bond for Patete was set at $5 million.

Patete pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted, he faces the death penalty.

UPDATE, 10:25 a.m.:

Zachary Harris, 24, of Columbus, is charged with counts of aggravated murder with a death penalty specification alleging the crimes were for hire, and a classification as a repeat violent offender, and having weapons under disability for the Central Avenue drive-by shooting that killed Orlando Gilbert and Todd Berus.

Harris is represented by attorneys Tim McKenna and Wilkes Ellworth, but tells the judge he will hire an attorney to represent him.

Prosecutors say Harris was in the back seat of the car during the drive-by shooting.

Harris pleads not guilty to all charges. If found guilty, he faces the death penalty.

Bond for Harris is set at $5 million. He was released from prison in March after conviction of aggravated robbery, according to court documents.

UPDATE, 10:10 a.m.:

Rodrick Curtis Jr., 20, of North 7th Street, Hamilton, is charged with felonious assault and having weapons under disability for the Doubles Bar shooting.

He is represented by attorney Kyle Rapier, but tells the judge he wants to hire his own attorney.

The prosecutor tells the judge that Curtis has previous drug convictions.

Bond is set at $500,000. If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of 13 years in prison.

UPDATE, 9:40 a.m.:

Mondale Goens, 21, of Maple Ave., Hamilton, is charged with two counts of felonious assault, in the Doubles Bar shooting that killed his brother, Kalif Goens.

He is represented by attorney Lawrence Hawkins.

Mondale Goens pleaded not guilty to both counts. His bond is set at $500,000. If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in prison.

INITIAL REPORT:

Arraignments are scheduled today for seven of eight people charged in connection with two Hamilton shootings that killed three people and injured seven others.

Gun violence at Doubles Bar on the city's west side killed Kalif Goens and injured seven others, according to Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser.

Days later, two men were killed in a drive-by shooting along Central Avenue, which was a murder for hire, according to the indictment.

Bond was set at $1 million earlier this week for Cornell McKennelly II, the eighth person charged in connection with the fatal shooting at Doubles Bar and the drive-by shooting on Central Avenue.

Stay with Journal-News.com throughout the day for complete details on each arraignment.

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