Oakhill criminal case judge denies defense motions regarding grand jury

CLEVELAND — The judge overseeing the Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal conspiracy case denied a motion from attorneys for Youngstown Mayor John A. McNally and Mahoning County Auditor Michael V. Sciortino, two of the defendants, to inspect the grand-jury transcript.

In journal entries filed this morning, Judge Janet R. Burnside of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, where the case is being heard, also allowed the Ohio Attorney General and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor offices to amend the indictment to correct errors in the original document. She also rejected a motion from Sciortino and McNally to not permit the indictment to be amended.

Attorneys for McNally and Sciortino, both Democrats, wanted the grand-jury transcript to ensure the “indictment is truly a product of grand jury presentment.” At issue was whether the mistakes — including mixing up two unidentified Cleveland-based law firms in three criminal counts — were legitimate.

The 83-count indictment against the two and attorney Martin Yavorcik — who all say they are not guilty — accuses them of being involved in a conspiracy to impede the move of the county Department of Job and Family Services from the then-Cafaro Co.-owned Garland Plaza on Youngstown’s East Side to Oakhill Renaissance Place.

The indictment charges the three with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, bribery, conspiracy, money laundering and tampering with records.

For the complete story, read Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com