CLEVELAND — Attorneys for Bionca Ellis, the 34-year-old woman accused of fatally stabbing 3-year-old Julian Wood outside a Giant Eagle in North Olmsted last year, had their request to sequester the jury for her upcoming trial denied by the presiding judge.
In denying the defense's motion, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge John J. Russo said he "deeply considered the rationale for sequestration" and acknowledged that the case holds "significant local interest for some individuals." He pledged to "regularly and specifically admonish the jury not to discuss the case with anyone nor to read or view any media accounts of the trial."
"The court is disinclined to infringe on the freedom of movement for potential jurors, and especially when the court believes it can mitigate any preju