Defendants Michael Dowling and Chuck Jones wait for the start of their trial in Summit County Court of Common Pleas Judge Susan Baker Ross’s courtroom on Feb. 3, 2026. (Photo by Mike Cardew- Pool/Akron Beacon Journal)
During opening statements on Tuesday, tensions ran high as the state argued that utility giant FirstEnergy’s former executives defrauded Ohioans by bribing a public official to help their struggling company. The defense is blaming a dead man for any wrongdoing.
In a packed courtroom in Summit County, jurors were told the next six weeks would unfold like a movie…