Politics & Government

Lakewood Resident Faces Manslaughter Charge After Man Overdoses

According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office, Donald Lanum injected heroin into the arm of another Lakewood man on Jan. 23.

A 29-year-old Lakewood man is scheduled to appear in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court today, accused of accidentally killing a 44-year-old man with a lethal injection of heroin last month.

Donald J. Lanum, of 2109 Halstead Avenue, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, corrupting another with drugs, tampering with evidence and drug possession. 

According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office, Lanum injected heroin into the arm of Freddie Fordyce at a Halstead Avenue apartment on Jan. 23.

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An acquaintance of Fordyce found him lying on the couch without a pulse. 

Lakewood Police arrested Lanum on Jan. 24. He’s been held in the Cuyahoga County jail since; his bond was set at $100,000 on Jan. 28.

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According to Lakewood Municipal Court records, Lanum was found guilty of misdemeanor charges of possessing drug paraphernalia and a hypodermic needle in June 2011. 


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