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Judge tells cop to dress better
Photo
Jeff Christy
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
YOUNGSTOWN
A part-time Lowellville police officer on leave after being indicted on charges of felony-level gross sexual imposition and menacing-by-stalking got a scolding from Judge R. Scott Krichbaum, who warned him he’d be jailed if he appeared again in court wearing a polo shirt.
The judge scolded Jeffrey A. Christy, 31, of Salt Springs Road, Niles, during a Wednesday pretrial hearing in Judge Krichbaum’s common-pleas court chambers.
“Do you think you’re going out for an afternoon walk or something? This is a courtroom. This is a big day in your life, and you come in here dressed like that. You should be ashamed of yourself,” the judge told Christy.
“Yes, sir,” Christy replied.
“If you come back to my court looking like that, I’m going to put you in jail for contempt,” the judge vowed.
Christy was indicted by the county grand jury on one count each of gross sexual imposition and menacing-by-stalking, reportedly involving a Beloit woman in 2008, and one count of menacing-by-stalking, reportedly involving a Lake Milton woman between December 2008 and April 2009.
The judge approved an agreement by Dawn Cantalamessa, assistant county prosecutor, to drop a misdemeanor public-indecency charge dating back to 2006 after Christy’s lawyer, Anthony Meranto, pointed out that the two-year statute of limitations for it had run out.
The judge granted a joint prosecution and defense request for a 30-day postponement of the trial, which had been set for Monday, to allow time for investigation and preparation of the case.
Meranto also said plea negotiations are under way between the prosecution and defense in an effort to resolve the case.
The judge said he would take Meranto’s motion for a change-of-trial location due to excessive publicity under advisement until jury selection, at which point he can determine the impact of pretrial publicity when potential jurors are questioned.
Meranto said he may subpoena as a trial witness an Alliance Review reporter who interviewed one of the alleged victims because statements she made to that reporter differ from statements she made to police.
Judge Krichbaum continued Christy’s $10,000 recognizance bond.
The charges in the indictment stem from Christy’s time as a reserve Milton Township police officer between January 2008 and July 2009, when he resigned while under investigation concerning these charges.
The 35-year-old Beloit woman alleged Christy harassed her by pulling her over eight to 10 times over six months, once grabbing her by the neck and forcing her to kiss him.