Testimony continues in paddling probe

No indictments have been issued.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A Trumbull County grand jury is expected to continue hearing testimony concerning the Fowler Township police chief, accused of paddling teenagers as part of a diversion program.
Fowler Township trustees and some of the juveniles who took part in the program are scheduled to testify later today.
The grand jury also met last week on Police Chief James Martin's case. No indictments have been issued.Atty. Mark Finamore, who represents the township, says he doesn't believe the trustees knew that Martin was operating the juvenile diversion program.
"My preliminary investigation shows that the trustees did not have any knowledge of this program," Finamore said. "The earliest they heard was about a week or two before the news was released. So I'd say they learned in the middle of March."
Finamore said the township no longer operates the diversion program. Martin, who is also a captain on the Howland Police Department, was suspended from both jobs last week.
It is not known if Martin will testify during the grand jury proceedings. Neither Martin nor his attorney, Dominic Vitantonio, could be reached.
Finamore added that Fowler trustees did not conduct a background check on Martin before he was hired as part-time chief six years ago. "The trustees felt it wasn't necessary because he was a full-time captain in Howland at the time," Finamore said.
1993 event
An investigation in 1993 by then-Howland Police Chief Steve Lamantia states that one juvenile complained at that time about being paddled as part of Martin's diversion program in Howland. Martin told the chief at that time that he had the parents' permission to use corporal punishment. No charges were filed.
The FBI and agents from the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation are investigating Martin. Vitantonio has said that he does not believe Martin will face any criminal charges.
He said that Martin used corporal punishment in his diversion program only in limited cases and that when paddling was used, the juvenile and parents both agreed.
Atty. Sarah Kovoor, who represents two teenage boys suing Martin, said she believes the use of paddling was improper. She noted that the children being paddled were also videotaped.
Vitantonio, however, stressed that the reason the paddlings were videotaped was to protect everyone's rights. Vitantonio says he has not yet seen the tapes. They have been confiscated by law enforcement officials who searched Martin's home and office.
sinkovich@vindy.com