Visiting judge to handle civil suit involving Trumbull officials

Staff report

WARREN

Visiting Judge Patricia Cosgrove will preside over a civil suit Trumbull County Engineer Randy Smith filed against Trish Nuskievicz, executive director of the Trumbull County Planning Commission.

Late last month, Judge Andrew Logan of common pleas court issued a judgment entry saying the Ohio Supreme Court assigned Judge Cosgrove, a retired Summit County judge.

Judge Logan said he was removing himself from the case because of a conflict on his docket.

Judge Cosgrove presided over the public-corruption trial of former Niles mayor Ralph Infante public last year and also handled a ruling in 2016 regarding whether Warren murderer Danny Lee Hill should get a new trial based on bite-mark evidence used at his trial being deemed unreliable.

Smith sued Nuskievicz and her wife in July, alleging defamation for remarks they made toward him.

Nuskievicz went on sick leave in July and has remained off since then except one week in October. She blamed her illness on psychological abuse, bullying, retaliation, discrimination and harassment from Smith “and his associates.”