Policeman’s suit alleges slander

WELLSVILLE — A Wellsville police officer is suing the village mayor and the village itself alleging slander.

Lt. Edward L. Wilson, 49, who has been with the department since 1992, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.

Wilson was placed on administrative leave June 15 by Police Chief Joseph Scarabino. Wilson was suspended for allegedly not responding to a murder scene early that day.

In the lawsuit, Wilson said he had been off-duty for more than three hours before he was called at home by the police dispatcher. Wilson said he told the dispatcher he would not go to the scene, and that another officer would.

The lawsuit also says that on Aug. 14, the mayor told a Steubenville television station that lawyers hired by the village were investigating Wilson for not responding after being ordered to the scene, and that Wilson was on paid leave. The station, which is not a defendant in the case, then put the information on its Web site.

The village has hired special counsel to look into Wilson’s actions after the Ohio auditor’s office declined to provide a special prosecutor as requested by Columbiana County Prosecutor Robert Herron.

Another special prosecutor tried Wilson on charges of trafficking in drugs and complicity to trafficking in drugs when he was accused of completing a drug deal in 2003. A jury in 2005 found Wilson innocent on both charges.