Defendant testifies in cop shooting case

Martin L. Robinson took the stand March 5, but did not reveal much information on the events which led to the shooting of an Amherst police officer in his front yard. Robinson, 40, of Sheffield Lake, was the last witness in his trial on attempted murder and felonious assault charges before Lorain County Common Pleas Court Judge D. Chris Cook. The charges are connected to a May 31 standoff and shootout between Robinson and members of the Lorain County SWAT Team at his Oliver Street home. The team, which is made up of officers from departments across the county, was working with the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force to execute an arrest warrant on weapons charges from Cuyahoga County. When asked simple questions about his education and former work experience by defense attorney Reid K. Yoder, Robinson often hesitated before answering and appeared to hold back tears. He said he’s lived in Lorain County his whole life and worked as a corrections officer for about nine years before an incident in which he was assaulted by four Cleveland police vice squad detectives while he was on the job in 2009. As a result of that assault, Robinson said he suffers from constant headaches, tremors, post-traumatic stress disorder, memory issues and hearing issues. “I’ve been told I suffer from paranoia,” he said. “I don’t necessarily agree with that.” Robinson testified that he purchased a number of firearms citing the Second Amendment and that he feared that someone was trying to hurt him. As far as the day of the shooting, Robinson said he didn’t know he had a warrant, he did not have conversations with his girlfriend and that all he really remembered was that the Cleveland Cavaliers were supposed to play a playoff game that night. He said he had no recollection of the police at his home, the mine-resistant armored personnel vehicle being parked on his front lawn or the numerous calls police said they made over their speaker system telling him to surrender. Robinson said he did remember someone attempting to enter his house, but he did not think it was a police officer. “I shot the intruder who was coming through my front door unannounced,” he said. He said that he still has doubt in his mind that the officers at his home were with the police. “I wasn’t attempting to kill anyone, nor have I ever in my life,” Robinson said. “It is insulting to me as a human being, what I stand for, my integrity, my honesty. “I have no desire to kill another human being. I have no intent to kill another human being.” Robinson’s memory seemed to fail him when he was cross-examined by Lorain County Assistant Prosecutor Tony Cillo, as he seemed to deny or claimed not to know anything about what Cillo asked him about. Cillo began presenting parts of a video interview between Robinson and police to help jog the man’s memory. Robinson claimed that it wasn’t even him in the video despite the video showed him giving his name, birth date and address. He became agitated during the attempted cross-examination as he would ask Cillo if his questions were threats and complained to Cook that Cillo’s questions weren’t relevant. During one of the many sidebar conversations between the attorneys and Cook, Robinson attempted to talk to the jury leading to an admonishment from the court. The trial is scheduled to resume at about 11 a.m., March 6, with closing arguments.

KEITH REYNOLDS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Martin L. Robinson, 40, of Sheffield Lake, speaks to his attorney Reid J. Yoder on March 5 shortly before testifying in his own defense.

KEITH REYNOLDS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Lorain County Common Pleas Court Judge D. Chris Cook huddles with the defense and prosecution attorneys March 5 during one of many sidebar conversations.