City denies request for BAC results

YOUNGSTOWN — The city Law Department refused a records request Friday to release results of a blood-alcohol test of a relative of a city police officer last week — or to reveal whether the test was given.

Assistant Law Director Anthony Donofrio said in a response to the request to the attorney representing the media outlets that the city is not even sure a test was given.

However, Donofrio did say that the city would release the log book that is kept in the room where the machine, commonly known as a BAC machine, or blood -alcohol content machine, is stored.

The log book, already viewed by The Vindicator but withheld from other media outlets, does show that Joseph K. Slattery, 54, was in the room Nov. 28, shortly after he was pulled over about 5:30 p.m. on Mahoning Avenue for running a red light and having a can of beer in his hand. However, there is no notation next to the section where a blood-alcohol content is located.

Additionally today, a department source confirmed that someone retrieved Slattery’s car Nov. 28 from a tow yard. That was not included in a police report. There also is no mention of a car being towed in a police report even though a separate report is required when city police have a vehicle towed.

The Vindicator and its news partner, 21 WFMJ-TV, filed a public-records request Thursday asking that the result of the BAC test, as well as surveillance video that may show which officers were in the station at the time, be made available to be examined. The two media outlets have been told by department sources that Slattery should have received a citation for driving under the influence, but instead he was given a citation for running a red light and having an open container.

For the complete story, read Saturday's Vindicator and Vindy.com