Lorain man pleads 'not guilty' in Vermilion killing, faces possible death penalty

ELYRIA — A Lorain man facing a possible death sentence if convicted of the murder of his girlfriend in a Vermilion driveway in July pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court to 20 felony and misdemeanor charges. Bryan J. Hall, 36, of Parkside Circle, had no reaction as Chief Deputy Clerk of Courts Alisa Lieux read the entire 20-count grand jury indictment against him out loud in Judge Christopher Rothgery's courtroom. Doing so took 37 minutes. Defense attorney Michael Kinlin entered a "not guilty" plea on Hall's behalf on all counts. Over Kinlin's objection, Rothgery ordered Hall held in the Lorain County Jail without bond. The 18 felonies include five counts of aggravated murder, seven counts of murder, four counts of kidnapping and two counts of felonious assault. The two misdemeanor charges both allege aggravated menacing. Hall allegedly shot and killed Ashlee McPeak, 34, of Virginia Beach, Virginia just before 2 a.m. July 10 outside a house on Ferndale Avenue in Vermilion following an alleged domestic dispute. McPeak's 10-year-old daughter was with them but was not injured. Every charge has at least one specification attached, including one that makes Hall eligible for the death penalty if convicted of murder under certain circumstances. County Prosecutor Tony Cillo is prosecuting the case himself with his Criminal Division chief, Chris Pierre, as co-counsel. It is the first death penalty case filed in Lorain County since Cillo was elected last year. Kinlin tried to withdraw from the case before Wednesday's hearing due to his client's alleged inability to pay him, but Rothgery wouldn't allow it. Rothgery also denied Hall's request for a court-appointed attorney. The judge said Hall filed documents with the court claiming assets of approximately $45,000 in cryptocurrency saved up along with approximately $20,000 in a 401(k) retirement savings account. Rothgery scheduled the next pretrial hearing in the case for Nov. 19 in his courtroom. Ashlee McPeak's family members watched the arraignment hearing via Zoom videoconference, with April McPeak holding a color photo of her daughter up to the camera much of the time. Vermilion police officers responded early on the morning of July 10 to emergency 911 calls, including from the 10-year-old. They learned Hall had chased Ashlee McPeak around a car parked in the driveway, firing a gun. Hall allegedly shot Ashlee McPeak at least twice and she died at the scene, according to Vermilion police. As officers pulled up to the scene, Hall tried to shoot himself in the head, but pulled the gun or jerked his head away at the last second, suffering some burns and hearing damage. The child, who had run up and down Ferndale Avenue knocking on doors trying to get help, was unharmed and placed with relatives. Vermilion police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation recovered seven spent shell casings at the scene. Kinlin previously said his client has bipolar disorder and also was drinking alcohol with Ashlee McPeak that night. He said he did not believe his client should be facing the death penalty. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com