A procedural error made by an Ohio judge has led to the overturning of a high-profile murder conviction.
Joshua Amburgy, 41, was serving a sentence of 41 years to life for the brutal stabbing of his mother, Melissa Amburgy, in their Miami Township home, but he is now back in court facing the possibility of a new trial.
Ohio’s 12th District Court of Appeals ruled in October that Clermont County Judge Victor Haddad had failed to inform Amburgy of his constitutional rights during his 2023 plea hearing.
The oversight, a fundamental misstep in legal procedure, voided Amburgy’s guilty plea to charges of aggravated murder and felonious assault.
Joshua Amburgy, 41, was serving a sentence of 41 years to life for the brutal stabbing of his mother, Melissa Amburgy, in their Miami Township home, but he is now back in court facing the possibility of a new trial
Clermont County Judge Victor Haddad had failed to inform Amburgy of his constitutional rights during his 2023 plea hearing leading to the conviction to be overturned
The simple mistake has sent shockwaves through Ohio’s legal community.
The appeals court’s ruling highlighted Judge Haddad’s courtroom conduct and his failure to ensure Amburgy fully understood his rights, a constitutional requirement when accepting a guilty plea.
As a result, the plea has been deemed to be invalid.
It was in November 2022, Amburgy left the quiet neighborhood reeling after he lured his 58-year-old mother to the basement of his home, where he attacked her with a kitchen knife, stabbing her seven times.
Amburgy’s father, Ted Amburgy, intervened, hitting his son with a chair in a desperate bid to save his wife’s life.
Tragically, Melissa Amburgy succumbed to her injuries after being airlifted to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Amburgy’s father, Ted Amburgy, left, hitting his son with a chair in a desperate bid to save his wife, Melissa’s, life but tragically she died from her injuries
Amburgy lured his 58-year-old mother to the basement of his home, where he attacked her with a kitchen knife, stabbing her seven times
The judge blamed Joshua Amburgy, 41, for his outbursts in court that he made a mistake in courtroom procedure
Ted later described the horror of the attack, saying, ‘I’ve been in combat; I’ve been all over the world, but I’ve never seen somebody’s eyes like that I could see in his eyes the devil had taken over.’
Following the stabbing, Amburgy fled the scene, still armed, and was confronted by police in a nearby backyard.
Despite repeated commands to drop his weapon, he charged at officers, forcing them to shoot him in the leg.
The incident, captured on police body cam, all happened within just 12 seconds.
During a recent court hearing, Haddad acknowledged his mistake but expressed frustration with Amburgy’s disruptive courtroom behavior.
‘I’m making excuses, but this is why I forgot to do what I was supposed to do because I let you get me off track,’ Haddad told Amburgy, referencing the defendant’s frequent outbursts that even led to threats of being muzzled in court.
‘Don’t get me off track anymore,’ he said.
Following the stabbing, Amburgy fled the scene, still armed, and was confronted by police in a nearby backyard
In police bodycam footage, Amburgy can be seen charging at a police officer
Amburgy’s defense team led by attorney Angela Glaser, has also signaled plans to request a new competency evaluation.
Court records indicate Amburgy’s mental health had previously been questioned, though he was ultimately found fit to stand trial.
The prosecution, however, remains resolute and argue Amburgy meticulously planned his mother’s murder, even attempting to purchase a gun before settling on the kitchen knife used in the attack.
Amburgy told investigators he was angry with his mother and had intended to harm her regardless of where she met him that day.
During a recent court hearing, Haddad acknowledged his mistake but expressed frustration with Amburgy’s disruptive courtroom behavior
For now, Amburgy remains in custody at the Clermont County Jail without bond.
‘I should at least deserve a chance,’ Amburgy said in court. ‘I’m not a menace to society.’
His next court appearance is scheduled for next Wednesday, where the judge will determine the case’s next steps reports Cincinnatti.com.
The case has left the Clermont County community in suspense as they grapple with the implications of a legal error that could lead to a retrial.
