LISBON — No resolution was reached in the two weapons cases against convicted killer Justin Givens, so the cases remain set for trial on Dec. 4, with a final status hearing at 11:45 a.m. Nov. 27.

Givens, 28, formerly of Salineville, appeared before Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam Thursday for a status hearing on two counts of possession of deadly weapons while under detention. The indictments alleged he possessed a razor and a piece of copper fashioned into a weapon while incarcerated in the county jail. The razor incident occurred Oct. 26, 2022 and the copper weapon incident occurred April 4.

His defense attorney in the weapons cases, James Wise, said a set of suggested pleas were offered, but he’s not going to take them.

With the case unresolved, Washam said the trial date and final status hearing date would remain set. He also told Givens he would be transported to prison to begin serving his sentence from the murder case for causing the death of Mary Ann McGuire on March 18, 2022.

Givens recently filed an appeal to challenge the sentence 23 years and one month to possibly life for multiple counts, including murder.

Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton sentenced Givens to 15 years to life for the murder, a mandatory three years for a gun specification for using a gun to commit the offense, 18 months each for charges of grand theft when the property is a firearm or dangerous ordnance and two counts of tampering with evidence, both third-degree felonies, 10 months for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and 180 days for endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor. The murder charge, gun specification, one grand theft charge, one tampering charge and the drug charge were ordered served consecutively, bringing the total to 21 years and 10 months to life.

In a separate case, Bickerton also sentenced Givens to an additional 15 months for improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony, and a misdemeanor endangering children charge for a Dec. 26, 2021 traffic stop when he had a firearm in the vehicle with children present.

Add it all together and Givens must serve 23 years and one month in prison before he can become eligible for parole.

Both of the deadly weapon charges are first-degree felonies.

mgreier@mojonews.com