Trending
Phone records of Trumbull County officials were at the heart of a hearing Wednesday in a Cleveland federal courtroom.
Trumbull County Commissioner Niki Frenchko was ordered by U.S. District Court Judge J. Philip Calabrese during the hearing to serve notice for subpoenas for personal and official cellphone records of Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa, former Commissioner Frank Fuda, and Sheriff Paul Monroe no later than Monday, as part of her lawsuit against the Trumbull County officials.
The defendants have until next Friday, May 12, to object to the subpoena request.
They have until May 17 to respond to the lawsuit, seek to move it or plead.
Wednesday's scheduled county commissioners meeting was canceled due to two of the present commissioners attending the court hearing in Cleveland.
Frenchko's attorney, David Betras, filed suit against Cantalamessa, Fuda, Monroe and others in connection to Frenchko's July 7, 2022, arrest during a Trumbull County board of commissioners meeting. At that meeting, two Trumbull County sheriff's deputies ordered the commissioner to stand up and removed her from the meeting after she was accused of disturbing a lawful meeting.
At the time, Frenchko was making a statement about a letter that was sent to the commissioners by Monroe, asking her to apologize for allegations that had been made at an earlier meeting. Cantalamessa said she was being disruptive and a sheriff's deputy agreed, so she was led out of the room and later handcuffed.
Frenchko claimed the arrest was a "set up."
Betras said he plans to seek restitution for the legal fees Frenchko has incurred and a justification for what happened.
"She was led out of the room in handcuffs ... and booked and her mug shot spread all over the place. That's damaging to anyone's reputation," Betras said.
Attorney Matthew E. Miller-Novak and Betras appeared at Wednesday's hearing representing Frenchko. Attorneys Daniel T. Downy and Helen K. Sudhoff represented Cantalamessa, Fuda and Monroe. Attorney Andrew N. Yosowitz , as well as his clients, sheriff deputies Sgt. Harold Wix and Sgt. Robert Ross, also attended the hearing. Attorney Jeff Knapp attended the meeting on behalf of the County Risk Sharing Authority.
Trumbull County Human Resources Director Alexandra Devengencie-Bush last month warned the commissioners if the number of lawsuits in which the county is involved continues to increase, it might lose its County Risk Sharing Authority policy, which will increase its cost for insurance.
The 2023 policy will be $721,681, which is an 18 percent year-over-year increase.
CORSA provides insurance coverage to 72 of Ohio's 88 counties.