Staff report

WARREN — Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins has asked Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to investigate potential overreach by the Federal Public Defender’s Office in the state court case of Danny Lee Hill, according to a letter from Watkins’ office.

The Ohio Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments Oct. 22 regarding a Trumbull County appeal of a ruling allowing Hill to re-litigate legal issues.

Watkins also questioned the qualifications of the federal public defenders, stating they lack the necessary credentials for Ohio death penalty cases and noting that one of Hill’s attorneys is not licensed in Ohio. The matter has been referred to Yost’s office for review.

Watkins claims the Capital Litigation Division of the Federal Public Defender’s Office, acting as “

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