2 Champaign County teens sentenced to prison for years appeal

Two teens convicted in high-profile crimes in Champaign County are appealing their convictions.

Ely Serna, the teen who pleaded guilty to bringing a shotgun into West Liberty-Salem High School and randomly shooting a student, and Donovan Nicholas, the teen who was found guilty of shooting and stabbing his surrogate mother, both have filed appeals in Champaign County Common Pleas Court.

MORE: Champaign County teen who killed surrogate mom asks for help at sentencing

Nicholas blamed an alternate personality on the crime including during the sentencing hearing in the case.

Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi said in a statement that he believes the convictions and sentences for both cases were fair and he believes they will hold up.

“We do not currently know the basis for their appeals because neither appellate counsel has filed their brief as of yet,” Talebi said. “Nevertheless, it is the position of the state that Mr. Serna was convicted of a number offenses including attempted murder and received an appropriate sentence consistent with Ohio law. Regarding Mr. Nicholas, he was represented by an experienced attorney, he received a fair trial and was convicted of aggravated murder by an impartial jury.

“We believe that both cases were handled appropriately and will defend the appeals accordingly,” Talebi said.

Serna was a 17-year-old senior in high school when he brought a shotgun to school on Jan. 20, 2017 and shot fellow student Logan Cole twice in a bathroom, according to police. He then fired on a teacher who walked into the bathroom, but he missed, police said. Serna continued into the hallway, where he opened fire toward classrooms.

READ: Ely Serna sentencing: What happened inside the courtroom on an emotional day

Serna was facing more than 10 felony counts before pleading guilty to attempted murder, felonious assault and inducing panic on April 6, the Friday before the trial was supposed to begin. He was sentenced to 23½ years in prison by Champaign County Judge Nicholas Selvaggio.

During sentencing, his trial attorney Dennis Liebermann asked the judge to consider that Serna was suffering from depression and anxiety in the weeks leading up to the shooting.

Nicholas’ attorney Darrell Heckman said he still believes that his client should not have been transferred from juvenile court to adult court. He will not be the appeals lawyer in the case but said he expects that to be brought up.

“I anticipate that one of the issues that will be raised will certainly be whether it was improper for the transfer,” Heckman said.

Nicholas was 14 at the time of the murder and his defense team asked Champaign County Family Court Judge Lori Reisginer to keep their client in juvenile court. A psychologist’s diagnosis of Nicholas found that he suffers from a disassociative disorder.

EXTRA: Champaign County teen with multiple personalities to be tried as adult

However, the judge ruled that the state’s juvenile system cannot provide 24-hour care for Nicholas.

Nicholas said during his sentencing hearing that he doesn’t like his second personality, Jeff the Killer.

“Before we distinctly split, I liked Jeff the Killer, I was obsessed with Jeff the Killer,” Nicholas said. “Jeff became a problem when he started doing things I didn’t want him to do — destroying my room, stabbing walls.”

Nicholas was sentenced to 28 years to life in prison after being convicted of murder.


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Facts and Figures

17: Ely Serna’s age during the West Liberty-Salem shooting.

23.5 years: sentence against Ely Serna in the West Liberty-Salem case

14: Donovan Nicholas’ age when he killed his surrogate mother

28 years: sentence imposed against Donovan Nicholas.

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