Videotaped depositions are part of Oakhill documents

YOUNGSTOWN

Though the judge in the Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal case has sealed most of the associated documents, it appears that videotaped depositions taken in early 2007 will play a role in an eventual trial.

Visiting Judge William H. Wolfe Jr. issued a notice last month saying that prosecutors had turned over 16 DVDs to defense attorneys in what is called the discovery process.

That process gives a defendant and prosecutors the right to know what evidence the other side has available to use at trial.

The DVDs contain the videotaped depositions given by many of the principal participants in the 2007 trial that followed a complaint filed by the Cafaro Co., seeking to force Mahoning County commissioners to rescind the purchase of Oakhill Renaissance Place. After a non-jury trial, a judge ruled against the Cafaro Co.

They include depositions given by John Zachariah, former Job and Family Services director; Michael V. Sciortino, county auditor; Anthony M. Cafaro Sr., retired Cafaro Co. president; George Tablack, county administrator; Lisa Antonini, county treasurer; John A. McNally IV, Mahoning County commissioner; John B. Reardon, former county treasurer; and J.J. Cafaro, retired Cafaro Co. vice president.

Of those individuals, Zachariah, Sciortino, Anthony M. Cafaro Sr., McNally and Reardon face criminal charges.

A 73-count indictment charges seven people and three business entities with corruption related to the Oakhill purchase.

Read more in Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com