Opinion ID: 3149633
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Gloria Elliott’s testimony

Text: {¶ 304} Elliott, Dean’s aunt, testified that she was raised with Dean’s parents and has known him his entire life. She stated that Dean’s father was 20 and his mother was 16 when they married. Dean’s mother worked in restaurants but did not hold jobs. His father worked as a punch press operator and did all kinds of things. Dean has two brothers. {¶ 305} According to Elliott, Dean’s parents had a volatile relationship. They argued constantly and had physical altercations. Dean and his brothers lived with Elliott on a number of occasions. Elliott stated that Dean “always kept you going” and was “always doing something funny.” She believed that Dean’s parents 86 January Term, 2015 did not raise their sons properly. Elliott stated that Dean’s father was a drinker and his mother smoked pot on a regular basis. Dean also used drugs and alcohol and smoked marijuana with his mother. {¶ 306} Dean’s mother met another man and moved to Sandusky a “couple of times” to be with him. Elliott took the boys when Dean’s mother left. Dean was a baby when his mother left home and was not affected too much by the absence. At some point, his mother married another man. Elliott also stated that an elderly gentleman died and left Dean’s mother a lot of money. But Dean’s mother spent the money “[a]bsolutely, anywhere, everywhere” and never used any of the money to fix up her house, which was later condemned. {¶ 307} Elliott stated that Jason and his brothers were involved in fist fights with each other and other children and his parents often encouraged him to fight. Dean’s parents imposed discipline on him by whipping or beating him. On one occasion when Dean was two or three years old, Elliott intervened when he was beaten repeatedly by his father. Elliott described Dean as “a basically good boy.” He followed Elliott’s rules and respected her. Elliott stated that she loved Dean with “every ounce I have in me. He’s my son.    The Dean boys are my sons for all intents and purposes from birth.” Elliott did not want to see Dean executed and asked the jury to spare his life.