Prosecutors: No objection to Oakhill attorneys extension requests

CLEVELAND

Prosecutors in the Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal-corruption case have no objection to a request from attorneys for two of the three defendants seeking more time to file motions objecting to Cuyahoga County as the trial venue.

Lynn A. Maro and John B. Juhasz — the attorneys for Youngstown Mayor John A. McNally and suspended Mahoning County Auditor Michael V. Sciortino, respectively — sought the extension primarily because they are defending attorney Scott Cochran in a federal criminal case that started Feb. 20 in Cleveland.

Cochran is charged with violating the Hobbs Act, which is extortion by the wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence or fear; tampering with a witness, victim or informant; and making false statements to law enforcement.

Cochran 43, of Austintown; Neal Atway, 47, of Youngstown; and a store owner, Mohd Rawhneh, 54, of Boardman, were charged with trying to extort money from a defendant who was being represented by the attorneys.

Maro and Juhasz asked for an

extension to April 3.

In their filing, the attorneys also said more time is needed to review evidence.

Read more about the case in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.