MAHONING COUNTY Judge berates sheriff over inmate delay

A misdemeanor court got its inmates before the felony court did.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- For the second week in a row, Mahoning County Sheriff Randall Wellington found himself hauled into a courtroom Tuesday facing the wrath of an angry judge.
And for the second time, it was because inmates weren't brought to the courthouse from the jail when they were supposed to be there.
Judge Maureen A. Cronin of common pleas court became angry Tuesday when felony arraignments were delayed more than an hour because inmates had not been delivered to the courthouse for their appearances.
She summoned Wellington and two of his departmental supervisors, Maj. Michael Budd and Cpl. Cortland Casey, to her courtroom where she voiced her displeasure. Casey is in charge of courthouse security and Budd is his supervisor.
"These are stupid, stupid mistakes," the judge said. "I don't understand this. The inmate transportation at the courthouse is in a shambles."
Wellington would not comment afterward because Judge Cronin was still considering whether to issue an order for him to appear at a formal hearing and explain why he should not be held in contempt of court for Tuesday's transportation breakdown.
"I can't discuss any of this while the case is being adjudicated," he said.
Van broke down
Prosecutor Paul Gains, who served as Wellington's legal counsel, said the problem was that one of two vans the sheriff's department uses for taking inmates to court was broken down Tuesday. The working van was used to take inmates to the misdemeanor court in Boardman first, then was taken back to the jail downtown to take inmates to the courthouse for felony arraignments.
He didn't explain why inmates were sent to Boardman first.
That's what got Judge Cronin so angry and spurred her to call the sheriff and his staff on the carpet.
"Common pleas court is the priority in this county, and you know that," Judge Cronin said to Wellington. "I've had it. I have had it."
Gains said if a similar situation happens again, inmates will be taken to the courthouse first, by no later than 8:15 a.m. Inmates will be taken to the area courts after that.
"In other words, [common pleas] court will be serviced first," said Gains. "The sheriff is going to rectify this problem."
Deputy fined
Last week, Wellington was called before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of common pleas court because a deputy in the jail refused to send an inmate to the courthouse for a hearing. The inmate was being held on both federal and state charges.
Deputy Gary Flores refused to send the inmate without a written order from Judge Krichbaum to do so. He cited an agreement between the county and the U.S. Marshals Service which says federal inmates may not be released from the jail without a court order or without the marshals' permission.
Flores was found in contempt of court and fined $500 by Judge Krichbaum.
Flores received a verbal reprimand. Wellington would not way whether anyone will be disciplined because of the problem Tuesday.
bjackson@vindy.com