DAYTON, OHIO: The younger brother of a pastor who was shot in a church office near the end of services has pleaded not guilty to killing him.
Daniel Schooler sat silently in a wheelchair during the video arraignment Wednesday in the death of the Rev. William B. Schooler at St. Peter’s Missionary Baptist Church in Dayton, the Dayton Daily News reported. His bail was set at $1 million in Dayton Municipal Court.
Daniel Schooler, 68, is charged with aggravated murder and two counts each of murder, felonious assault and having weapons under disability. Police say the minister’s wife witnessed the last shot Sunday, and Daniel Schooler waited there to be arrested.
Records indicate he has a history of mental illness and violence and had sued his brother over an inheritance dispute five years ago.
Sheriff’s records said he shot a nephew in the arm in 2001, but the victim did not want to press charges, the newspaper reported.
Daniel Schooler also was convicted of felonious assault with a deadly weapon and spent two years in prison in the attack of a woman in 2002, the newspaper said.
A message was left Thursday for the public defender who represented him.
An affidavit written by Dayton police Detective Nathan Via said Daniel Schooler confronted his 70-year-old brother just after noon on Feb. 28 “and with prior calculation and design, carried out previous threats to kill the victim.”
Patricia Napier-Wright, the Schoolers’ niece, said the family should stand together during a time of mourning.
“It’s a great time of pain,” Napier-Wright said, “but yet, a great time of understanding that even in this tragedy, that we have to stand together as a family. United, not divided.”
Napier-Wright said she is hopeful the justice system will take into consideration that Daniel Schooler has mental health issues.
A preliminary hearing for Schooler is scheduled for March 9.