Judge rules William Calderwood's past arson conviction can be admissible to his W. 83d St. case

CLEVELAND - In the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas courtroom of Judge Bridgett McCafferty, prosecuting and defending attorneys argued over William Calderwood's past.

The debate centered on whether Calderwood's previous arson convictions could be admitted into his upcoming trial.

In 2005, Calderwood, who is accused of causing the West 83rd Street explosion, was convicted of burning his own house in Warren, Michigan.  A police officer from that community testified in the hearing Monday.  He said during his investigation, Calderwood admitted he burned his house.

Detective David Andrews said Calderwood said he was "flipping an electrical switch associated with those bare wires and eventually stuffing paper backing from insulation toward those wires, hope to set fire."

Calderwood's defense attorney questioned the officer, who said Calderwood never admitted guilt in the case.  He pleaded no contest and was never sent to prison. 

Judge McCafferty ruled the 2005 conviction could be admissible to Calderwood's upcoming trial.  In the new case, Calderwood, who lived on West 83 Street, will answer charges that he burglarized a home next door and stole appliances from it. 

Police said he tampered with the gas line, causing an explosion, which rocked the neighborhood. Several dozen other homes sustained damage because of the explosion.

Calderwood still has another hearing, scheduleld for Friday, before Judge McCafferty.  In that hearing, attorneys will argue over two other arson convictions, in 1979 and 1980. The debate will be as to whether those convictions will be admissible to Calderwood's upcoming trial.