Suit involving DeBartolo heads back to trial court

COLUMBUS — A lawsuit filed by two former employees of the DeBartolo Realty Corp. heads back to trial court.

The Ohio Supmreme Court unanimously agreed today the matter should be returned to the trial court for further consideration.

In 2003, Gary O’Nesti and Leon Zionts, filed the suit and argued they were each entitled to receive 8,100 shares of DeBartolo Realty stock under a “change of control” vesting provision in the company’s employee stock incentive plan.

A similar case involving 27 other former employees of DeBartolo ended in the employees’ favor when the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court ruled DeBartolo’s 1996 merger with Simon Properties Group set in motion provisions of the company’s stock incentive plan.

For the rest of the story, see the business section of Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com.