WILMINGTON — Jury trials for two ongoing assault-related cases were scheduled at the Clinton County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday.
Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck scheduled a jury trial for Lee DeBoard on March 5 with a final status hearing set for Jan. 28.
The trial date Jamie McLaughlin is scheduled for Feb. 5 for two counts of abduction charges and two counts of aggravated menacing — all are level 3 felonies. A final hearing set for Jan. 15 for McLaughlin.
DeBoard, 49. is accused of assaulting Roger Tucker, who was his roommate, with a machete and fleeing the scene in a camouflage-painted pickup truck. He evaded authorities for about a week when he was apprehended in Clermont County.
McLaughlin’s four charges are in relation to a case in which he shot his then-girlfriend Mary Neace. He was found guilty of felonious assault and having weapons under disability by a jury on Oct. 31. Additional charges of attempted murder, abduction, and receiving stolen property against McLaughlin, 31, were dismissed.
A sentencing for Dec. 20 for the assault and weapons charged was pushed to after the February trial.
DeBoard’s hearing was also to get an update on whether defense attorney Rob Baker had a timeline for results from a blood splatter/wound expert he reached out to for the case.
Baker told Judge Rudduck he had been in contact with them and, while he didn’t have an exact timeline of results, they are in the process of discussing the case.
