Half-Brother’s Death Postpones Lane Hearing
The half-brother of accused Chardon High School shooter T.J. Lane died Saturday afternoon of an apparent drug overdose, law enforcement sources told the Geauga County Maple Leaf.
The half-brother of accused Chardon High School shooter T.J. Lane died Saturday afternoon of an apparent drug overdose, law enforcement sources told the Geauga County Maple Leaf.
As a result, Geauga County Common Pleas Judge David Fuhry agreed to postpone a hearing on a defense motion to suppress evidence that was scheduled for Monday. Fuhry will now hear a defense request to suppress statements Lane made to law enforcement officers following his Feb. 27 arrest until Dec. 6 at 9 a.m.
Adam Nolan, 19, of Munson Township, was found unconscious in a downstairs apartment on Station Road in Burton Township, according to a Geauga County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
He was transported to University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center in Claridon Township where he was pronounced dead.
Lane, who did not attend Monday’s court proceedings, is said to be devastated with the news of his half-brother’s death.
“He, himself, is just in absolute shock over what has occurred and we would not have a client who is mentally able to hear what is going on this morning,” Lane’s attorney Ian Friedman told Fuhry.
Robert Chapman, 21, who Nolan was staying with, told a sheriff’s office dispatcher when he called 9-1-1 about 3:44 p.m. that he thought his friend was dead.
“He’s not breathing, moving, nothing. And he’s had a history of doing a lot of prescription medications and all sorts of drugs,” 21-year-old Robert Chapman told
“How long has he been there, do you know?” the dispatcher asked.
“I just woke up from a nap, he has been asleep and I had no clue that anything was going on,” Chapman said. “I barely hear him inhaling and exhaling, just barely through his nose. Yeah, I feel a pulse.”
When Chapman was asked for his friend’s name, he told the dispatcher, “Nolan, Adam Nolan. I’m sure you guys know him, maybe.”
Nolan had been “kicked out of his house for doing too many drugs and getting caught,” Chapman said. “I let him stay here and you know, trying to help him get sober and I don’t know what’s going on.”
Chapman said he last saw Nolan awake around noon Saturday and had not seen him consume alcohol or take any drugs since he arrived.
“Earlier this day, he got a ride home from his grandma to get clothes and to change, and he might have done drugs there, I’m not sure,” Chapman added. “I haven’t seen him do anything, so I don’t know.”
He told the dispatcher Nolan usually uses Klonopin, Seroquel and Neurontin, and it was “pretty highly” likely he was using prescription drugs.
According to drugs.com, Klonopin is an antianxiety medication belonging to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines.
Seroquel is a drug used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder while Neurontin is an anti-epileptic medication that affects chemicals and nerves in the body involved in the cause of seizures and some types of pain.
The Geauga County Coroner’s Office has not determined an official cause of death.
Nolan was arrested multiple times on charges ranging from felony possession of drugs, to theft and resisting arrest, to disorderly conduct and other crimes connected to his drug abuse, according to Chardon Municipal Court records.
He also overdosed on drugs several times, sources told the Geauga County Maple Leaf.
At the time Lane opened fire inside the Chardon High School cafeteria on Feb. 27 — killing three students and injuring three others — Nolan was serving a 105-day sentence at the Geauga County Safety Center.
He was released from jail on April 23 and three days later, was arrested for disorderly conduct, a minor misdemeanor. On April 29, he was arrested for underage alcohol consumption and possession.
Nolan was convicted on both charges June 5 and Chardon Municipal Court Judge Terri Stupica sentenced him to 180 days in jail, beginning April 29 and ending Oct. 25.
Nolan was raised with Lane under the custody of their maternal grandparents, Jack and Carol Nolan.
Funeral services are Wednesday and are being handled by Burr Funeral Home, where Nolan’s obituary is posted.
The obituary said that he was the son of Sarah A. Nolan and Bill Kovach and stepson of Tom Lane of Chardon.
It also said he had been a lifelong Chardon resident who was a talented artist and musician with “a high fashion sense and a wonderful sense of humor.”
