Judge rejects Yavorcik filing in Oakhill case

CLEVELAND

The Cuyahoga County judge in the Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal corruption case rejected a filing from the attorney of one of the three defendants for violating local court rules.

Judge Janet R. Burnside of common pleas court had the filing from Mark Lavelle, attorney for Martin Yavorcik, “stricken from [the] docket.”

Cuyahoga court rules require attorneys to receive permission from the judge before filing a reply brief. Lavelle didn’t receive that permission.

The court brief was a follow-up to a request to allow defense attorneys in the case to share certain evidence with others.

Prosecutors object to that request to protect the safety of confidential informants — including one who prosecutors say was threatened — and because “the recordings provided in discovery contained unfounded allegations regarding several public officials in Mahoning County.”

Yavorcik, a failed independent 2008 Mahoning County prosecutor candidate; Youngstown Mayor John A. McNally, a Democrat, in his previous capacity as a county commissioner; and Mahoning County Auditor Michael V. Sciortino, also a Democrat, face a combined 83 counts including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, conspiracy, bribery, perjury, money laundering and tampering with evidence. They’ve pleaded innocent to the charges.

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