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Singh is accused of killing his wife, Shalinderjit Kaur, 39; his in-laws, Hakikat Singh Pannag, 59, and Parmjit Kaur, 62; and his aunt by marriage, Amarjit Kaur, 58, at their apartment. All died of gunshot wounds.
Today’s hearing will include the random draw of a three-judge panel. In Ohio, those facing the death penalty if found guilty have the option of a jury trial or trial in front of a three-judge panel. The judge panel is identified before the defendant chooses whether to pursue a jury trial or the panel.
Singh’s case is assigned to Judge Greg Howard, so he will be a member of the panel, but two other judges will be selected randomly from the other six general division common pleas judges.
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This administrative function usually takes place early in the litigation process, because judges’ schedules fill up fast and so the defense and defendant can know the makeup of the panel well in advance.
Defense attorney Charles H. Rittgers told the Journal-News a three-judge panel is not being considered in the Singh trial.
Singh is being held in the Butler County Jail without bond, but the defense team has filed a new motion asking for “reasonable bond.”
In the bond motion filed Dec. 9, the defense team says Singh is the father of three children, ages 5, 7, and 11, and was married for 17 years. He has been in the United States since 2004 and a citizen since 2009. Singh has no criminal background and is a self-employed truck driver running his own business.
“Since the night his wife and in-laws were killed, police have focused on Mr. Singh as their number one suspect,” the defense says in the bond motion. “The fact that he was considered the culprit was known not only by him, but also by his attorneys, who presently represent him since that awful night. Despite the fact that he has been the focus of the police investigation, he had made no attempt to flee and continued to support and protect his three children.”
Defense attorneys noted that when arrested Singh was at a uncle’s home attending a family wedding with his children.
“Mr. Singh has close ties to the community and has lived in West Chester for the past seven years. From the time his family members were killed to the present, Mr. Singh has been very concerned about his three minor children who are now without both their parents, due to his incarceration,” Rittgers wrote in the motion.
It is not known if the bond motion will be part of today’s hearing or if it will be included in a March pre-trial hearing. Singh’s trial is scheduled for September.
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