Oakhill grand jury to be reminded of secrecy oath

YOUNGSTOWN

The visiting judge hearing the case of an alleged conspiracy between some Mahoning County officials and the Cafaro Co. to prevent or delay the move of the county’s Department of Job and Family Services from Cafaro-owned rented quarters to Oakhill Renaissance Place plans to remind grand jurors, who returned indictments in the case, to adhere to their secrecy oaths.

Judge William H. Wolff Jr. is having the nine grand jurors summoned to appear at 1 p.m. today in the Mahoning County Courthouse, where he will deliver the reminder and interview them concerning any secrecy breeches that may have occurred.

That session will be behind closed doors, but recorded by a court stenographer.

This morning’s 45-minute hearing was in response to a motion by Cafaro Co. lawyers seeking court action to address what they said appeared to be violations of grand jury secrecy.

The alleged breeches occurred in an anonymous letter to Vindicator Columnist Bertram DeSouza from someone claiming to have been an Oakhill grand juror, together with vindy.com postings the lawyers believe were made by a grand juror.

The Cafaro lawyers say these breeches influence pre-trial publicity, which may compromise the defendants’ right to a fair trial.