Wednesday, October 8, 2025 | 10 AM
Defiance High School | 801 S Clinton St, Defiance, Ohio 43512

Defiance, OH — Faith leaders from Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC) will gather for a press conference on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 to call to account Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley for attempting to strip our children of their right to legal appeal.

On Wednesday, the Ohio Supreme Court will hear State of Ohio v. D.T. After being “bound over” (i.e. transferred from juvenile court into adult criminal court) at age 15, D.T. was faced with a difficult decision: go to trial and face a sentence of up to 89.5 years in prison, or accept a plea deal. Ultimately, D.T. accepted a plea bargain with the expectation  he could file an appeal after beginning to serve his 21 year sentence. That’s exactly what D.T. did, winning his case in the Eighth District Court of Appeals, which vacated his conviction and remanded the case to juvenile court. 

However, Prosecutor Michael O’Malley appealed the decision to the Ohio Supreme Court, arguing that D.T. voluntarily waived his right to an appeal when he accepted a plea deal in 2022. The prosecutor has put forth arguments to deny  a child’s right to appeal despite the fact that the Ohio Supreme Court has already set a legal precedent for a juvenile’s right to appeal in several cases similar to D.T

“County Prosecutor Michael J. O’Malley’s decision to appeal D.T.’s case after the appellate court’s excoriating opinion is despicable” said Rev. Ryan Wallace of Fairmount Presbyterian Church. “Denying his right to appeal would not only violate his civil rights and overturn legal precedent—it’s morally unacceptable.”

If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the prosecution, the consequences would be catastrophic–not just for D.T., but for all Ohio children. GCC leaders assert that denying due process violates both human rights and the values shared by all major faiths.

“There is a different set of legal standards for children than adults. There’s a reason we have a juvenile court–because we recognize that children are not fully developed,” said Rev. King Rodgers of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church. “This is not just about a single court case—this is about who we are as a society.”

Approximately 30 members of Greater Cleveland Congregations will travel to Defiance for Wednesday’s court hearing, while many more will be watching on livestream.

“We refuse to silently stand by as our children are stripped of their rights,” said Denise Shurney, co-chair of GCC’s Bindover Action Team. “We stand in solidarity, confidently proclaiming that God’s love is stronger than injustice.”