In the pre-trial hearing held in the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas courtroom of Judge Anthony D'Apolito Tuesday, March 9, the judge heard Defense attorney John Juhasz's motion to dismiss two death penalty specifications against the defendant Kimonie Bryant. 

The 24-year-old Bryant is charged with killing 4-year-old Rowan Sweeney and shooting four adults in a home on Perry Street in Struthers on Sept. 21, 2020.

Bryant is facing four counts of aggravated murder, four counts of attempted murder, four counts of felonious assault, one count of aggravated burglary, and one count of aggravated robbery.

Rowan's mother, Alexis Schneider, is one of the four adults who was shot allegedly by Bryant. Schneider was holding the 4-year-old boy when the boy was shot twice in the head, killing the boy, according to court documents.

On Oct. 2, Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains told reporters that Bryant entered the home and immediately shot Andre McCoy Junior. The suspect then shot Yarnell Green Jr. as Green got up and tried to run. The suspect shot Green several more times as he was on the floor, Gains said.

Bryant then allegedly shot Cassandra Marsicola three times as she was sitting in a kitchen chair.

Judge D'Apolito said he would review the matters and hoped to rule on them in the next week to 14 days.