Ex-official wants indictment tossed

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

A former county commissioner in Ohio wants a judge to throw out a bribery indictment because of what the defense calls vindictiveness and misconduct by prosecutors.

The motion was filed Monday in federal court on behalf of former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, a former county Democratic chairman in Cleveland.

The defense says “sensationally” chosen wiretap quotes in the latest indictment against Dimora were meant to influence potential jurors at his bribery trial Jan. 4 in Akron.

The wiretap material was detailed in an extortion indictment unsealed against Dimora in October as juror questionnaire details were under way in the first case.

Spokesman Michael Tobin with the U.S. attorney’s office says prosecutors won’t comment.

The defense says it’s entitled to look for evidence of prosecution vindictiveness against Dimora.