Coronavirus: Trials delayed, but courts continue work; including the Takoda Collins case

DAYTON — The coronavirus is changing the way almost everything in the community is done. That includes the work of police and courts.

Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. said he is assuring the wheels of justice are still turning, including new developments in one of the areas highest profile cases.

>> Cause, manner of death for Takoda Collins released

Heck said while trials have been delayed, the court work is still going on. That includes evaluations and new steps taken in the case of 10-year-old Takoda Collins.

“It certainly bothers a lot of people, it really bothers me,” Heck told News Center 7′s Mike Campbell of the Collins case.

The 10-year-old died last December, shortly after his father called for help, saying Collins wasn’t responsive.

Police arrested Al McLean, and two adult women living in the house.

McLean is charged with child abuse and rape among other things.

Heck said coronavirus has not stopped the work being done on the case.

In fact, the complicated coroner’s office autopsy report took months to determine Collins was a victim of homicide. The report was released just after Ohio started seeing confirmed cases of the virus.

That report now opens the door for possible new charges against McClain, which would have to be reviewed by a grand jury for a possible indictment.

“We’ve been in conversation with the Dayton Police Department, that case is still being investigated and once everything is completed, we will proceed and let everyone know,” Heck said.

Lawyers continue to come into the courthouse to file new motions and prosecutors can still request new charges against people arrested during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The grand jury process, however, has been altered to ensure safety for all involved.

“We are still hearing cases. It’s a little different, the way we’re doing it, we’re in a different room, so the grand jurors can spread out,” Heck said.

Heck said he also received a commitment from the current grand jury members to serve an extra two months beyond their current four month term. That’s because physical distancing would have made it almost impossible to bring 150 people here to choose 15 people for a new grand jury.

The prosecutor says with the arrangements that have been made, those accused of crimes here will still have to answer to those allegations, even during the pandemic.

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