YOUNGSTOWN — The Ohio Supreme Court suspended the law license Monday of Krishna James of Lewis Seifert Road in Hubbard after several Jan. 1 trespassing and criminal damaging reports in New Castle, Pa., and earlier incidents in Trumbull County.
James, 38, is in the Lawrence County jail unable to post $100,000 bond after being charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of criminal trespass and six more charges of criminal trespass and prohibited discharge of a firearm.
A Jan. 21 filing with the Ohio Supreme Court from two lawyers with the Mahoning County Bar Association states that the bar association filed its motion for interim remedial suspension after James was charged Jan. 1 in New Castle on allegations that he entered the city’s fire station at 7:15 a.m. through a door that was damaged because of an earlier incident.
James is shown on surveillance video and was seen by three firefighters walking around the fire station picking up tools. He also had done more damage to the door with a hammer and ax, the filing states. He severed the cable that raises and lowers the door with the ax.
Firefighters told police James told them he was ready for the “coming siege.” Firefighters then discovered that James had a pistol previously concealed in his jacket. He was escorted out of the building and left before police arrived.
At 8:08 a.m. that morning, police were called to the Lawrence County Community Action Partnership building on Grant Street in New Castle for an alarm call and found an unsecured door, two spent bullet shell casings and two bullet holes in the ceiling. Police determined from surveillance video that James had fired several shots at the alarm system.
Police said James then went to the McGonagle Ambulance station, where he tired to gain access but failed. He was finally found in a vehicle at another location. Police confronted James, but James refused to comply with commands and identified himself as a lawyer from Ohio. After more noncompliance, officers fired two “less-lethal sponge rounds” at James and took him into custody. He was treated for minor injuries from the sponge bullets. A handgun was recovered from James’ vehicle.
See the Wednesday Tribune Chronicle for more on this story.
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