11 August 2021 :

George Brinkman’s conviction overturned. The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned 7-0 a death penalty conviction and ordered a new trial for George Brinkman. Because the trial judge failed to verbally advise George C. Brinkman at the time he pleaded guilty that he was waiving his rights to confront witnesses against him and to have his guilt proved beyond a reasonable doubt, the Ohio Supreme Court today vacated his convictions and death sentences. The Court remanded the case to the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court for new proceedings. Justices said a 3-judge panel in Cleveland failed to inform Brinkman, 49, about his right to question witnesses in November 2018 when he initially pleaded guilty to aggravated murder charges with death penalty specifications in the slayings of three women: Suzanne Taylor, 45, and her daughters, Taylor Pifer, 21, and Kylie Pifer, 18. The judges then held a 3-day death penalty hearing. Two days later, realizing their mistake, they held a second plea hearing. Brinkman was sentenced to death in December 2018. Brinkman will remain on death row despite Wednesday's ruling. A 3-judge panel in Stark County south of Cleveland sentenced him to death in October 2019 for killing Rogell John, 71, and Roberta John, 64, in June 2017. The couple was found shot to death the day after Taylor and her daughters were found murdered in North Royalton.

https://apnews.com/article/shootings-courts-390974a0adea2fa06e7f824cecdbbbec