Inmate Serving 11-Year Sentence for Involuntary Manslaughter Faces Felonious Assault Case in Ross County

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ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — A man currently serving an 11-year prison sentence stemming from a Franklin County involuntary manslaughter case is facing a separate felony charge in Ross County.

According to Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records, James L. Short is currently incarcerated at Ross Correctional Institution. Short was admitted to state prison in August 2017 and is serving an aggregate 11-year sentence.

ODRC records list Short’s convictions as first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, third-degree felony domestic violence and third-degree felony tampering with evidence. The involuntary manslaughter conviction carries an 11-year sentence, while the other sentences are listed as concurrent. His expected release or parole eligibility date is currently listed as June 9, 2028.

While serving that sentence, Short became the defendant in a new criminal case in Ross County.

Ross County Common Pleas Court records show Short was indicted on February 20, 2026, on one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony under Ohio law. Court records also show a notice of disability was filed with the indictment.

Several days after the case was opened, the court issued a warrant for Short’s removal, with the warrant and a certified copy of the court entry being sent to the Ross County Sheriff’s Office.

The case proceeded through arraignment and multiple pretrial hearings during 2026. A criminal status conference was scheduled for September 30, followed by a trial to the court scheduled for October 1 at 9 a.m.

Short’s Ross County felonious assault charge is separate from the Franklin County convictions for which he is currently incarcerated.

The filing of a criminal charge is not a finding of guilt. Short is presumed innocent of the Ross County charge unless and until proven guilty in court.

Next in Ross County: Bainbridge Man With Multiple Outstanding Warrants Faces New Charges Following Ross County Arrest

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