A visiting judge on Friday forbid the prosecution and the defense from discussing criminal charges against the county's top Democrat.
The order prevents Susan Gwinn, chairwoman of the Athens County Democratic Party; her attorney, Dennis McNamara; the special prosecutor, Dave Yost; and C. David Warren, the Athens County prosecutor, from talking about Gwinn's case. A grand jury indicted Gwinn Sept. 24 for illegally funneling more than $27,000 from two out-of-state lenders to her 2008 county prosecutor campaign, among other charges.
Yost, the Delaware County prosecutor and a Republican candidate for Ohio Attorney General, presented the motion during Gwinn's arraignment. She pleaded not guilty to six charges and was released to await trial without objection from either side.
Judge William Wolff, a visiting judge from Dayton, ordered the silence after Yost said media coverage could jeopardize Gwinn's right to a fair trial.
We've had a lot of news coverage of this case
Yost said, adding later, I don't want anybody talking about this case. It needs to be presented here in court.
Wolff said he will rule on a permanent order soon.
McNamara did not object to Yost's motion, but asked that the order cover Warren. He cited a Post article in which Warren denied orchestrating Gwinn's indictment.
I can tell you that I've already told Miss Gwinn she's not talking to anybody about (the case) outside of the courtroom he said. If there's going to be a gag order I think it should include Mr. Warren and his office.
Before the primary, the lenders sent more than $27,000 to Gwinn's personal account through multiple money orders and a wire transfer, according to Yost's complaint in April to the Ohio Elections Commission. Gwinn then moved the money to her campaign's account through smaller transactions. She never declared either lender a political donor.
Gwinn's attorneys have said the money came from personal loans that she could use as she wanted. The lenders have signed statements supporting that argument.
The indictment lists six charges: one count of felony money laundering, two counts of felony theft in office, two misdemeanor counts of falsification and a misdemeanor count of unauthorized use of property.
The court appointed Yost to investigate the case in August. Warren has said he asked for a special prosecutor after receiving a tip from someone in Gwinn's campaign.
Wolff also scheduled a final pre-trial hearing for Dec. 11 and a jury trial beginning Dec. 17.
1
News
Frank Thomas
