120 people on list to testify in West Liberty school shooting trial

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

About 120 people have been subpoenaed to testify in the bench trial connected to the West Liberty-Salem High School shooting, including the two students who were shot — Logan Cole and Adam Schultz.

Ely Serna, now 18, is set to go to trial beginning Tuesday, April 10. He’s accused of bringing a shotgun to West-Liberty Salem High School on Jan. 20, 2017, and opening fire, including shooting then 16-year-old Logan Cole twice.

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Schultz reportedly found a pellet lodged in his body later in the day but wasn’t seriously injured.

The Champaign County Prosecutor’s Office is prepared to move forward and try the case starting on Tuesday, Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi said.

“We secured everyone that might have to testify but all witnesses may not be required to testify,” Talebi said.

Serna is charged with several felonies in Champaign County Common Pleas Court, including two counts of attempted murder, three counts of felonious assault, six counts of improperly discharging a firearm, and single counts of inducing panic and illegal conveyance of a deadly weapon in a school. Serna has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Champaign County Common Pleas Judge Nick Selvaggio will hear the case.

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Also included in the long list of possible witnesses are West Liberty-Salem administrators Greg Johnson and Andy McGill. The two reportedly went towards the gunfire and apprehended Serna before authorities could get there.

The defense filed subpoenas for three psychologists — Daniel Hrinko, Daniel Davis and Barbar Bergman. All three has evaluated Serna at some point in the past. Defense Attorney Dennis Lieberman couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.

Other possible witnesses are members of Serna’s family, including his mother, Amy Irwin.

The list of subpoenas for witness to testify is public record, but Talebi said he didn’t want to disclose who would actually be taking the stand and who’s not. The trial is scheduled to last two weeks and Talebi has predicted in court that he might call 30 to 35 witnesses.

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Other names on the list are West Liberty-Salem Superintendent Kraig Hissong, athletic director Jake Vitt, Champaign County Detective Glenn Kemp and West Liberty Police Chief Shane Oelker.

The trial is expected to start at 9 a.m. every weekday and last until about 5:30 p.m., according to court documents.


Continuing Coverage

The Springfield News-Sun has provided unmatched coverage of the West Liberty-Salem school shooting, including stories digging into school security and what’s changed in the year since the shooting.

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