Lawyer Defending Mom Convicted in Microwave Murder Faints During Appellate Arguments
Television cameras were recording on Tuesday when an Ohio lawyer passed out during appellate arguments.
Dayton lawyer Jon Paul Rion was unconscious for only a few seconds and said he wanted to continue, the Dayton Daily News reports. He was arguing on behalf of China Arnold, who was convicted of killing her baby in a microwave oven.
Paramedics who were called to the scene said Rion’s vital signs were OK, and the court rescheduled arguments. WHIO-TV had the video.
Arnold was convicted of aggravated murder in 2008 and sentenced to life without parole, the Dayton Daily News reported at the time. An earlier trial had ended in a mistrial.
In an appeals brief filed in October, Rion said the trial judge should have allowed more evidence pointing to another possible suspect, according to a Dayton Daily News account. A boy identified as T.H. had testified that another child had told him he placed the baby in the microwave. The judge ruled the boy’s testimony lacked credibility.
