Hall to remain hospitalized

Published 12:00 am Sunday, March 3, 2002

Todd Hall, a brain-injured man found incompetent to stand trial in the deaths of nine people at a fireworks store in 1996, will remain hospitalized at least two more years, a judge ruled Friday.

Sunday, March 03, 2002

Todd Hall, a brain-injured man found incompetent to stand trial in the deaths of nine people at a fireworks store in 1996, will remain hospitalized at least two more years, a judge ruled Friday.

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Lawrence County Common Pleas Court Judge W. Richard Walton made his recommendation after reviewing a report from a mental hospital that said Hall should remain in its care.

Hall, 30, never went to trial on charges that he tossed a lighted cigarette into the crowded Ohio River Fireworks on July 3, 1996, igniting a fire that killed nine people and injured 11. The store was located near Scottown.

Hall, who has had the mental capacity of a 10-year-old since his brain was damaged in a 1987 skateboarding accident, has been in several mental hospitals since the fire. He has been a patient at Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare in Athens since Oct. 24, 2000.

Hall did not speak during the 15-minute hearing Friday. Before the hearing began, Hall sat next to his father, James Hall, in the gallery, and put his head on his father’s shoulder. They were surrounded by other family members and hospital guards.

His only comment to reporters as he left the courtroom was ”oh, please.” His father refused to comment.

James Hall has complained in the past that the state’s mental hospitals are not properly trained to work with his son’s disabilities.

Family members of the victims also did not comment after the hearing.

Walton said there will be another hearing in two years.

”The hearing was a perfunctory process at this point,” said Hall’s attorney, J. Michael Evans. ”The report was clear, well written. Hall is doing as well as can be expected in a hospital. He’s improving and hopefully he will continue to improve.”

County Prosecutor J.B. Collier Jr. said he believes that even though Hall was never convicted, he remains a danger to himself and the community. He said he thinks Hall always will be in a restrictive environment because he does not understand the consequences of his actions.

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