Courts will likely release Mahoning prisoners

YOUNGSTOWN — A panel of three federal judges is likely to issue a prisoner release order for Mahoning County Jail, capping the number of inmates to be housed there and setting binding rules for all jurisdictions to follow, said Judge James C. Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, who added that he would welcome such an order.

“They will probably put a cap on it, but they’re probably going to order the whole place opened up and order the [county] commissioners to fund it,” said Judge Evans, the court’s administrative judge. “We need some heavier control by the three federal judges. I advocate: Let them come in and mandate what needs to be done and what all jurisdictions have to abide by,” Judge Evans said.

“I believe a prisoner release order is necessary. I don’t believe it has to be federal,” said Judge Maureen A. Sweeney, presiding judge of the common pleas court. Judge Sweeney said she would prefer an order derived by local judges.

But Judges Evans and Sweeney agreed that a recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling that restricts an existing common pleas court release mechanism makes it more likely that the panel of federal judges, which will convene Thursday, will issue a prisoner release order.