Preliminary hearing set for Campbell mayoral candidate charged with assault.

September 23, 2015 at 12:02a.m.

By SARAH LEHR

CAMPBELL

The preliminary hearing for Campbell mayoral candidate Nicholas Phillips, 51, on a felonious-assault charge has been set for Oct. 6 in Campbell Municipal Court.

The 22-year-old boyfriend of Phillips’ wife’s daughter told police that Phillips punched him in the face Aug. 5, breaking his jaw, according to a police report.

Phillips said he had acted in self-defense and intervened when the boyfriend attempted to push Phillips’ wife, according to a police report.

Judge Patrick Cunning set Phillips bond at 10 percent of $10,000, or $1,000. Phillips posted bond shortly after his arraignment Tuesday morning.

Phillips’ attorney, Jay Macejko, expressed misgivings about the investigation against his client, though he would not go into specifics. “I think the investigation was incomplete and slanted,” Macejko said.

Police Lt. Kevin Sferra said Phillips was charged after a complete investigation involving written statements from Phillips’ accuser and interviews with Phillips, his accuser, his wife and his wife’s daughter. There currently are no plans to charge Phillips’ accuser with assault or another offense, Sferra said.

Sferra said the city waited for a special prosecutor before filing charges against Phillips.

“That was to protect the integrity of the city of Campbell and the integrity of Campbell police officers,” Sferra said.

Jeffrey Moliterno, assistant law director in Youngstown, will prosecute Phillips’ case.