ALLEN COUNTY, OH (WLIO) - A Lima man facing a 2020 arson charge tries to represent himself in his trial.
Timothy Messer requested that he act as his own attorney in his future trial. Judge Terri Kohlrieser said that that would not be in his best interest, because the aggravated arson charge he is facing is a felony of the second degree. If he is found guilty, that could mean between two to eight years in prison. Plus, if he represented himself he couldn't talk to his co-defendant Jason Raines Sr.'s lawyers before the trial. Messer will remain with his current assigned lawyer.
According to court records, he and Raines allegedly set fire to an occupied structure in Shawnee Township on June 5th of 2020. No trial date has been set in his case.
