On Friday, August 15, 2025, Justin Alexander filed a petition for a writ of mandamus in the Supreme Court of Ohio, seeking to compel Muskingum County Judge Kelly J. Cottrill to rule on a motion pending since March 3, 2025, in Muskingum County Case No. CR2024-0313.
Alexander, currently incarcerated and serving a 25-year sentence, alleges that the judge has failed to address his pro se motion requesting new counsel due to ineffective assistance from his appointed attorney, Keith Edwards.
The petition cites Ohio Superintendent Rule 40, which mandates that all motions be ruled upon within 120 days of filing. Alexander claims his motion, filed in March 2025, has not been addressed, violating this rule. He argues that the Muskingum County Clerk’s office improperly classified his motion as “Not A Filing,” despite its docketing, and asserts his First Amendment right to petition the court for redress.
Alexander’s legal troubles stem from a May 2024 indictment tied to a drug smuggling operation within Ohio’s prison system. According to a Muskingum County Prosecutor’s press release, Alexander and 13 others were charged in connection with an organized drug ring involving methamphetamine and suboxone distribution. The operation allegedly involved inmates and their relatives, including Alexander’s sister, aunt, and girlfriend, and generated significant profits through drug-soaked paper sales and money laundering.
In his petition, Alexander details prior interactions with the Muskingum County court system. In 2022, he faced re-sentencing before former Judge Fleegle, who allegedly threatened additional prison time. Alexander’s attempts to secure new counsel were hindered by high legal fees and alleged interference from Assistant Prosecutor John Litle, prompting Alexander to file an affidavit of disqualification against Fleegle. Additionally, Alexander claims Minister Norman Whiteside, who assisted with legal support, was wrongly indicted as a co-defendant in retaliation for aiding prisoners.
Alexander argues that a writ of mandamus is necessary, asserting a clear legal right to a ruling on his motion, a legal duty for Judge Cottrill to act, and no other adequate remedy. He requests that the court issue the writ immediately or, alternatively, an alternative writ, along with any further relief deemed appropriate.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
