Ciboro interrupts 9-year-old victim's testimony with request to fire standby lawyer

Thebes becomes 4th attorney appointed to his case

Judge Linda Jennings, center and facing camera, calls for a sidebar after Esten Ciboro, right, made a complaint to the court while he continued his cross-examination of the now 14-year-old girl who alleges she was shackled in the basement and that she was raped by both Esten Ciboro and his father Timothy Ciboro, second from right. Frank Spryszak, standing at left, is a Lucas County assistant prosecutor.

A recess in the trial of Timothy Ciboro was called about 3:40 p.m. today after he asked Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Linda Jennings if he could fire the lawyer appointed to serve as hid standby counsel.

Mr. Ciboro and his son, Esten Ciboro, both are representing themselves but have lawyers who they can ask questions of during court proceedings.

In the midst of cross-examining a 9-year-old girl he allegedly raped, Timothy repeatedly tried to ask the little girl where her brother was living. Prosecutors objected, and Timothy was told he could not ask the question.

EARLIER STORY: Testimony gets under way

He then turned to his standby counsel, John Thebes, presumably for guidance, then turned to the judge and asked if he could fire Mr. Thebes.

Judge Jennings called a 20-minute recess after the request. Court resumed a few minutes later with no mention of Mr. Ciboro’s request and with Mr. Thebes still in place at the defense table.

Mr. Thebes was the fourth attorney appointed to his case.

This morning, a now-14-year-old girl who said she was shackled by her ankles in the basement by her stepfather and his adult son spent four more hours on the witness stand this morning.

Timothy Ciboro, 53, and Esten Ciboro, 28, of the 800 block of Noble Street are on trial in Lucas County Common Pleas Court for multiple counts of kidnapping, rape, and endangering children for alleged abuses to the girl and a 9-year-old girl in their care.

Under lengthy cross-examination this morning by the Ciboros, who are acting as their own defense attorneys, they attempted to portray a happy home life, asking the girl about outings to the park, church activities, and other events.

While the father and son suggested she was making up allegations of sexual abuse, they did not deny — as they questioned her — that they’d used what Timothy called “progressive discipline” that included restraining her with leg irons in the basement.

Hallie Dreyer, a forensic scientist with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, testified that her analysis of DNA taken from the exterior of a pair of handcuffs and from a master lock and set of keys showed that the 14-year-old was a “major contributor” of the DNA and Timothy Ciboro was a “minor contributor.”