Putnam Co. judge denies attorney's request
Teen's hearing to be open to the media
6/27/2013OTTAWA, Ohio -- A Putnam County Juvenile Court judge today denied a defense attorney's request to close proceedings to the media in a juvenile's criminal case.
Judge Michael Borer made the decision following a request from William Kluge, who is representing Michael Aaron Fay, 17. The judge ruled that the attorney did not present the necessary evidence to make the claim for keeping the media out of the courtroom.
The Fay youth is charged in the May 9 deaths of brothers Blaine Romes, 14, and Blake Romes, 17, who were killed in a trailer on North Perry Street, where he lived with his mother, the victims, and their mother.
He faces two counts of delinquency in connection with aggravated murder for the deaths.
Mr. Kluge also has requested a competency hearing for the Fay youth. That hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Several area media representatives, including The Blade, media partner WTVG-TV, Channel 13, and WLIO-TV of Lima, filed a protest Wednesday with the court to challenge the attorney's request that media be excluded from reporting on proceedings in juvenile court.