LIMA — A Tennessee teenager charged with murder in the death of a Lima man earlier this year appeared in Allen County Common Pleas Court on Thursday to waive his right to a speedy trial.
Clois-Ray Adkins, 19, is charged with two counts of murder and two counts of felonious assault in the death of Robert Smith II, 22, of Lima, during a fight on the evening of Sept. 3.
Following Adkins’ waiver on Thursday, Judge David Cheney set a jury trial for Feb. 5.
Officers from the Lima Police Department were dispatched to the area of Holmes and Milburn avenues shortly before 8 p.m. on the night in question in response to the report of a fight.
Police officials said Adkins was armed with a large tree limb during the altercation and struck Smith in the head one time with the limb. Smith was taken to St. Rita’s Medical Center with traumatic head injuries and died the following day.
Multiple witnesses reportedly identified the defendant and the assault was captured on a cellphone video. During a subsequent interview with investigators, Adkins reportedly admitted striking Smith with the tree limb, according to court documents.
According to court documents, Adkins is originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, and had come to Lima just two days before the incident.
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