Judge to prosecutors: Pare down counts in Oakhill case

CLEVELAND — The judge handling the Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal-corruption trial told prosecutors to eliminate some of the 83 counts facing the three defendants as part of her effort to “streamline the case.”

In a court journal entry, Judge Janet R. Burnside of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court told prosecutors to get rid of some of the counts and also amend certain paragraphs of the criminal count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

That work is to be done by a Jan. 15 pretrial hearing, according to her journal entry.

The judge, however, didn’t specify how many counts she wants them to cut from the indictment that was unsealed May 14, 2014. The case is scheduled to start March 1.

Judge Burnside told The Vindicator on Friday after a pretrial hearing that she wants attorneys on both sides to “streamline the case” so it moves at a steady pace, saying she’s “always concerned jurors will lose interest or we’ll torture them” with a lengthy trial.

Youngstown Mayor John A. McNally, ex-Mahoning County Auditor Michael V. Sciortino and attorney Martin Yavorcik face 83 criminal counts combined, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, bribery, conspiracy, perjury, money laundering, tampering with records, soliciting or receiving improper compensation, telecommunications fraud, theft in office, disclosing confidential information and ethics violations. They’ve pleaded not guilty.

The unlawful compensation, disclosing confidential information and ethics violations are misdemeanors. The rest are felonies.

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