MT. GILEAD, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—Larry Fidler, who was originally set to go on trial this morning in the Morrow County Common Pleas Court, has been granted a seventh delay. His trial is now rescheduled to start on July 29th. This latest delay follows the departure of a third attorney from the case.
Fidler’s initial trial occurred in December 2022, but ended in a deadlock as the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. Fidler turned down a plea agreement and the new trial was scheduled.
If convicted of rape alone, given the age of the victims, Fidler could be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Currently, Fidler, aged 45, is being held in the Morrow County Jail.
Court documents reveal that Fidler has filed two significant motions with the court. One motion seeks permission to attend all court proceedings in civilian clothing without restraints, while the other requests the court to refrain from referring to complaining witnesses as “victims.”
The alleged victims in this case will have to wait nearly two and a half years for their day in court. Crawford County Now contacted the Morrow County Clerk of Courts for details on the ongoing delays, including the number of attorneys assigned to represent Fidler and the likelihood of the trial proceeding in July.
Sheri Clever, Clerk of Courts, provided the following response:
“For case information and access to document images, visit the Clerk of Courts website morrowcountyohio.gov/government/clerk_of_courts/index.php
Crawford County Now and Marion County Now will continue to monitor and report on this developing story.