Mahoning prosecutor remains mum on reason for assistant's forced leave

YOUNGSTOWN

The rationale for placing a key, longtime assistant Mahoning County prosecutor on paid administrative leave remains a mystery a week after his leave began.

Paul J. Gains, county prosecutor, confirmed Thursday afternoon Martin P. Desmond remains on leave, but he declined to explain why or say whether Desmond will have a hearing on the matter.

“I am not commenting on Mr. Desmond,” Gains said.

Desmond, who joined the prosecutor’s office in 2004 and has prosecuted high-profile murder cases in recent years, could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.

As of Thursday afternoon, The Vindicator still had not received the documents from Desmond’s personnel file, for which it made a public records request Monday morning, including his job application and any notices of commendation or discipline.

Gains again referred a reporter to a Cleveland lawyer, Todd Raskin, who Gains said is redacting nonpublic information from the documents before emailing them to The Vindicator.

Gains refused to comment on whether there’s any connection between Desmond’s leave and a soon-to-be-dismissed federal civil lawsuit by a former witness in a dismissed murder case.

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