Jury selection has begun in the case of an 18-year-old man who will be on trial for his life in Youngstown, Ohio, accused of setting a house fire that killed six people.
The suspect, Michael A. Davis, is charged with aggravated murder and aggravated arson in the Jan. 23 fire that took the lives of four small children, their mother and grandmother.
Because Mr. Davis could face the death penalty if convicted, prospective jurors are being questioned individually by prosecutors, defense lawyers and the judge. Once a jury is selected, his trial should last about a week.
Mr. Davis lived two blocks from the victims on Youngstown's East Side. Prosecutors allege that he set their porch on fire, causing the 83-year-old house to quickly go up in flames. Fire investigators said the arsonist fed the fire with gasoline or a similar accelerant.
Killed were Carol Crawford, 46; her daughter, Jennifer R. Crawford, 23; and Jennifer's children, Ranaisha, 8; Jeannine, 5; Aleisha, 3; and Brandon, 2.
Five other people escaped from the house.
Prosecutors allege that Mr. Davis acted with premeditation, waiting until the lights went out and everyone was sleeping before he started the fire.
Rage motived him, prosecutors said in court filings. They allege that Mr. Davis targeted the house because he believed someone who lived there stole his cell phone.
Mahoning County Common Pleas Judge R. Scott Krichbaum has imposed a gag order barring prosecutors and defense lawyers from discussing the case outside the courtroom. He hopes the restraint will make it easier to pick a jury.
First Published: October 6, 2008, 4:45 p.m.