Amish Boy May Have To Testify Twice In Ohio Home Invasion Case — After Defendant Fires His Lawyer

It’s been nearly one year since an Amish family’s home and cabinet business in Geauga County, Ohio was invaded and robbed. In it, an Amish man was brutally assaulted, and the perpetrators attempted to kidnap his young son.

In a new report following a court hearing yesterday we learn that the taxi driver accused of helping plan the crime will no longer stand trial alongside two of the men charged with carrying it out.  And the prosecutor is vehemently objecting – saying the family’s young son may now have to testify twice.

It stems from the defendant firing his attorney just a few weeks prior to the October 26 trial.

Judge Matthew Rambo granted a motion by Ricky Lee Martin’s attorney to withdraw, leading to Martin’s trial being postponed. Martin is facing multiple felony counts, and the judge has explained that there is simply not enough time for a new attorney to prepare for a trial scheduled so soon.

In turn, his case has been separated from those of codefendants William Hatfield and Randall Cromer, whose trial is still set to begin October 26.

The Incident – And The Alleged “Ringleader” Turns Against The Other Three

The attack happened on October 9, 2025, in Middlefield Township in the Geauga County Amish community, home to over 20,000 Amish people.

Authorities say three men forced their way into the family’s home and business, shocked the father and his 8-year-old son with a stun gun, and stole about $5,000. They also tried to take the boy, who thankfully got away (original report here).

A man named Bradford Hosler was arrested within days, and Hatfield and Cromer were arrested soon after that. A fourth man, Martin, was arrested the following day. Authorities allege that while working as an Amish taxi driver, he scouted Amish homes and businesses as targets.

All four were indicted in December. Hosler has already pleaded guilty, in March, to aggravated robbery and kidnapping. So three of the four still have a court trial awaiting them. In a twist of sorts, Hosler – allegedly the group’s “ringleader” – is expected to testify against the other three men he allegedly led in the crimes.

Attorney Withdraws Weeks Before Trial

According to court records, Martin’s attorney filed a motion to withdraw on October 1, and Judge Rambo granted it the next day. At an October 6 hearing, Martin appeared without a lawyer and asked for one to be appointed, which the court ordered on October 7.

At that hearing, filmed by the Geauga Maple Leaf, Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz objected that the withdrawal was granted within hours, before the state had a chance to respond:

The court granted that motion to withdraw in contravention to this court’s own rules. The court then additionally vacated the jury trial in this matter, and this case was separated from the defendant’s codefendants’ cases.

So now, without the state being given an opportunity to even object, and hours after this being filed, and not following the local rules, the court has severed this case from the other codefendants’ cases.

His main concern was the young victim – an Amish boy who was just 8 years old at the time – who would be a witness at both trials:

…a young child is going to have to be hauled into court for two separate jury trials. Forget the additional cost to our county taxpayers and the county resources that are being expended.

But a young child’s going to have to come in and testify twice in front of a room full of strangers.

Flaiz said the state “objects to how this entire matter has been handled, objects to the withdrawal of prior counsel, and objects to the severing of the trial.”

It will be unfortunate enough that this Amish boy, who will be 9 or 10 by the time of the trial, will have to appear in court and relive that traumatic event. To make him have to do it two times is really not great, to say the least.

We don’t know why Martin’s attorney withdrew, which is what has led to this situation, beyond the judge’s remark that Martin ended the relationship himself. And we won’t know specifics beyond what the attorney is willing to share with the public.

That’s because Judge Rambo could not ask Martin’s attorney why he was withdrawing, since he is “not able to inquire as to the reason for without violating privilege and a whole host of other matters.” The attorney had cited an ethics rule.

The judge also said that “it seems that Mr. Martin terminated the attorney-client relationship, which he is free to do. He is a retained attorney. He is free to hire and fire attorneys as he likes.”

Could They Still Be Tried Together?

One wonders if there would be room for postponing the trial to allow Martin’s new attorney sufficient time to prepare, so that all three defendants could be tried at one go, as was the original plan. As I always remind you, I’m not a lawyer, but perhaps that would violate the rights of the other two to a speedy trial?

There is a chance that may happen, as the judge said in the hearing. He left open the possibility of rejoining the cases, or moving the other two trials, once Martin has an attorney. He also agreed with the prosecutor that two trials were not ideal, but said other rights were at stake:

I don’t disagree with you that having it tried twice would be, I won’t say a waste, but it would certainly be a use of resources that would be uneconomical and inefficient.

However, Mr. Martin has rights, and so do the other two. You know, the victim’s rights are not the only rights at issue that the court has to consider. Considering everything, it’s a decision I made.

If something like that doesn’t happen, it appears the young Amish boy is going to be bearing the burden of this course of events. The trial of Hatfield and Cromer is less than three weeks away.

Looking at court records, no new trial date has been set for Martin, and court records show no bond posted. Hatfield has been jailed since his arrest, and in September he filed a handwritten civil case against the sheriff and two jail officials, alleging he has been denied dental care.

Friday, October 9, marks one year since the attack. Here’s video of the October 6 hearing, from the Geauga Maple Leaf: