Grand jury to issue Oakhill results

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Decision time is finally coming as an extended grand jury deliberates this week concerning potential criminal conflicts of interest in connection with the controversy surrounding Mahoning County’s 2006 purchase of Oak-hill Renaissance Place.

In 10 known meetings with special prosecutors since February, the grand jury heard testimony from numerous witnesses and examined voluminous evidence in banker’s boxes full of documents that were wheeled into the grand-jury room.

Originally convened for four months ending April 30, the grand jury was extended five weeks through Thursday by the county’s common pleas judges.

The extension was requested by the special prosecutors, Dennis P. Will, who is the Lorain County prosecutor, and Paul M. Nick, chief investigative counsel for the Ohio Ethics Commission.

At the request of Paul J. Gains, Mahoning County prosecutor, the common pleas judges appointed Will and Nick as special prosecutors for the Oakhill probe in November 2008.

After the grand jury deliberates, it may indict people on felony charges or misdemeanor charges, or it may issue no bills, meaning that it declines to indict someone.

All grand jury proceedings are secret.

Oakhill is the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center.