The trial of Fulton County, OH, alleged arsonist Charles Bryan Jr. will be continued until March 9, 2010, and a change of venue may be sought, attorney Jerome Phillips says. Discovery materials the defense team received from the county prosecutor’s office in October require Phillips to obtain an expert witness dealing with arson. The defense may also have to find a forensic accounting expert for related accounting issues. Phillips had argued that the requirement made the trial’s original starting date of Jan. 11, 2010, unrealistic, since expert witnesses have yet to be retained by the defense.
Bryan was indicted in August on 14 counts related to the April 2007 downtown Wauseon fire, including arson, aggravated arson and insurance fraud. If found guilty on all charges he could face a maximum sentence of more than 46 years in prison and fines totaling up to $115,000.
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