CANTON, Ohio - The man who has confessed to killing his two young children and his ex-mother-in-law out of spite for his ex-wife appeared in court for the first time since the alleged murders, Fox 8's Kristy Steeves reports.James Mammone III could be seen behind a glass partition inside a room connected to the courtroom, where his ex-wife and his mother sat two seats from each other.
The judge set June 16 as the date for a preliminary hearing. It is scheduled for 1:15 p.m.
The defendant's mother, visably shaken, sat among the first row of onlookers. For the duration of the proceedings, she held two photographs of her now-deceased grandchildren.
The defendant's ex-wife, Marcia Mammone, sat nearby. At one point, a bailiff noticed that she was crying and got her a box of Kleenex.
Both the ex-wife and the mother were escprted out a back door of the courthouse, away from cameras.
On Tuesday, James Mammone III told authorities in Canton that he killed his children and ex-mother-in-law with the intention of inflicting pain on his ex-wife.
Police tell Fox 8's Kathleen Cochrane that Mammone first killed his ex-mother-in-law at her home and then tried to break into his ex-wife's home. She called 911 early Monday morning.
From inside the house, Marcia Mammone told the 911 dispatcher that she could see her two children -- 5-year-old Macy and 3-year-old James -- in the suspect's car parked in the driveway. The two children were later found murdered, with throats slit, in the custody of their father.
James III and Marcia divorced in April and records show that he had threatened to kill her in the past. He even spent a night in jail on domestic violence charges while he and Marcia were still married.
On Monday, he seemed determined to get into Marcia's home as she begged for the authorities to respond.
James III remains locked up in prison on $15 million bond.
A spokesperson for the family says that they are grieving deeply and asking for privacy during this extremely difficult time.
Stick with Fox 8 News and FOX8.com for more information on this tragic story as it becomes available.
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