MAHONING COUNTY Trial stems from 1990 assault

The woman said she missed more than 13 months of work.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A former Mahoning County employee who was assaulted outside the Department of Human Services offices on North Garland Avenue is finally getting her day in court.
The attack that led to the suit was more than 11 years ago.
Kathleen McCullion of Logan Avenue is suing National Security Consultants of Belmont Avenue. The trial, which began Monday, is in the courtroom of Judge Jack Durkin.
During testimony Tuesday, McCullion said she was attacked from behind and beaten June 29, 1990, by a former client of the DHS, where McCullion worked at the time. The suit, which seeks unspecified damages, alleges that NSC failed to provide adequate security.
Cost of injuries: The attack happened around 1 p.m., as McCullion and two other women were returning from lunch, she said. She suffered injuries to her jaw and back, and incurred medical bills totaling more than $12,400.
She missed more than 13 months of work because of the injuries and has since left the department for another job.
Under cross-examination by Atty. William Jack Meola of Warren, who represents the security company, McCullion said there were no prior assaults on DHS employees.
"Nobody was ever attacked. I was the first," she said.
The county moved the department's offices to the McGuffey Plaza from downtown in 1989.
McCullion also said that although she filed a criminal lawsuit against her attacker, she never filed a civil suit against him.
History of lawsuit: The suit against National Security was originally filed in June 1992. McCullion voluntarily dismissed the suit, then filed it again in May 1995.
In August 1997, a ruling was made in the security company's favor without a trial. That decision, based on written arguments submitted by attorneys, was appealed to the 7th District Court of Appeals, which overturned the ruling last year and sent the case back to common pleas court for trial.
bjackson@vindy.com