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Former court administrator sent to jail
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
A former municipal court administrator had a 100-day sentence imposed Wednesday in municipal court for violating her probation in a 2012 misdemeanor domestic-violence case.
Sheila Lawson, 49, was ordered taken to the Mahoning County jail immediately by visiting Judge Michael Weigand, despite her request to allow her to report to jail at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Lawson was arrested and accused of beating her father in March 2012. She had served as court administrator from December 2008 to March 2009, when she was fired.
Lawson was convicted in September 2012 by a jury on a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence and intimidation. She appealed the verdict to the 7th District Court of Appeals, which ruled against her in March. While she appealed the verdict, the sentence against her was stayed.
When the appeal was denied, the case was rescheduled for sentencing to June 18. Lawson was given a 100-day suspended jail sentence, fines and court costs and six months’ probation, which included required anger-management counseling and an evaluation at Turning Point counseling center.
However, Lawson was ordered back to court Wednesday because she was accused of failing to pay her fines or costs or go for her evaulation.
Lawson told Judge Weigand she did not go because she was never given grounds as to why she needed to go. She said that “invalidated” his judgment.
Judge Weigand disagreed and ordered her jailed.
Lawson’s mother, Corrine Lawson, said she was disappointed in the judge’s ruling. When her daughter asked to delay her reporting time, Shelli Freeze, assistant city prosecutor, objected, saying that Lawson has been late for most of her court appearances, including Wednesday’s.
Judge Weigand said that after 50 days, Lawson may ask the court to reconsider its decision, but there is no guarantee that would happen. She also must go to her evaluation and counseling when her jail sentence is completed.