Judge denies attorney change, resets Carroll trial

NORWALK — Huron County Common Pleas Judge James Conway denied a request by Norwalk hotel assault suspect Eric Carroll to replace his attorney on Tuesday while granting additional time for his defense to pursue potential evidence. Carroll, 33, of the 300 block of Milan Avenue in Norwalk, appeared in court this week and raised concerns about difficulties communicating with his court-appointed attorney and the handling of possible video footage related to the case. Carroll, addressing the judge in court, said he believed a video may exist from outside the hotel the day before the alleged incident occurred. He indicated the footage could show earlier interactions with the victim that he believes are relevant to his defense. Carroll described alleged events from the day before the incident, telling the court he had been outside the hotel with other individuals and using marijuana. He said people staying next door, whom he described as being from Zanesville, saw him drinking and smoking. "I was smoking some weed, basically outside with the neighbors from the next room, they all saw me smoking and drinking," he said. Carroll said those interactions included contact with the alleged victim and said the activity may have been visible on exterior surveillance cameras. He told the court he believed the footage could help show what happened before the incident. He also told the court he believed $1,000 had been taken from his hotel room while he was away, saying he later accused the woman involved in the case of taking the money from his nightstand. "I woke up and all my money was gone from my nightstand," Carroll said. His attorney, David Longo, told the court he previously understood any mention of marijuana use to have occurred inside the hotel room and said he was not aware of any claim that the activity took place outside or could have been captured on surveillance. Longo said the issue of requesting additional video had not been raised earlier, but stated he would be willing to investigate whether such footage exists and whether it could still be obtained after six months. "I did not understand that this took place outside," Longo said. "Is this something I can check into? Yes." Carroll also expressed frustration with his inability to contact his attorney while in custody, telling the court he had difficulty reaching the attorney's office and getting responses to calls. "It's just so hard to contact somebody," Carroll said. "Every time I call, they say they're busy." His attorney responded that he had not refused communication and said his office had been available, adding that there may have been confusion about how contact was initiated through the jail during lockdown. "I can't speak for weeks prior, but last week I was waiting for a call and it didn't come," Longo said. Judge Conway said the disagreement did not rise to the level required to appoint new counsel. "I don't see that kind of irreconcilable difference here," Conway said. "We've had plenty of time, and this is the first time this issue's been raised." The court described the situation as a matter of miscommunication rather than a breakdown in the attorney-client relationship, noting the case has been pending since October and is approaching trial. The judge denied the request to replace counsel and said the case would move forward with Longo. Conway did agree to a continuance to allow for additional preparation. "You can request additional time to get that information, but there is no guarantee that still exists, depending on how long they keep their footage," Conway said. A new pretrial hearing was scheduled for May 16, with a jury trial now set for June 8. Background of the case The case stems from an Oct. 18, 2025, incident at a hotel in the 300 block of Milan Avenue in Norwalk. According to police, officers responded after a hotel manager reported a female employee ran into the office, saying there had "been violence" before fleeing in distress. Other guests reported seeing a man running from the same room the employee had exited. The woman was later located by police at a local restaurant and gave a statement describing the alleged incident. Police said surveillance footage from the hotel showed a man entering the room, followed by sounds of distress. The footage then showed the woman leaving the area, with the man exiting separately. Authorities later located Carroll and took him into custody after he was found hiding in a barn following a rollover crash on U.S. 250. A Huron County grand jury indicted Carroll on Dec. 5 on 11 felony counts, including two counts of kidnapping, two counts of abduction, aggravated burglary, burglary, three counts of strangulation, grand theft of a motor vehicle and gross sexual imposition. The indictment also includes repeat violent offender specifications tied to a prior Huron County case. In 2015, Carroll pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the fatal stabbing of Ronald L. Wisniewski II following an altercation. He had recently been released from prison in that case at the time of the October incident. Carroll remains in the Huron County Jail without bond.