MORE: Case involving alleged attack on Muslim woman will go to trial
Ross has switched attorneys three times during the course of the legal process.
The latest attorney for Ross, Springfield-based Michael Cantanzaro, took over his defense in June, but died in late November and had handled the case without co-counsel.
According to court officials, the trial is now delayed, and there will be a hearing with the defendant to allow Ross to find another attorney.
Prior trial dates had been set for September and October, with the latest continuance granted then for the Dec. 18 date, according to court documents.
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Members of the Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) have advocated for the simple assault case to be designated as a hate crime.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization.
Kettering officials issued a statement after the initial charge in the case, saying the city “condemns all acts of violence and intimidation, particularly those done because of the victim’s race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin,” adding that the case has been properly charged.
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