Frenchko loses bid for protection order

Judge: ‘No evidence of any threats of harm’ toward official

WARREN -- Following a nearly 10-hour hearing, a Trumbull County Common Pleas judge denied a protection order sought by Trumbull County Commissioner Niki Frenchko against a man she accused of stalking her and her family.

In a judgment entry issued Thursday, Trumbull County retired Judge W. Wyatt McKay determined there was "no evidence of any threats of harm," toward Frenchko nor was there evidence that defendant Shawn Shook, 44, owned firearms or followed Frenchko to her home or car, as the commissioner alleged in the civil filing.

McKay oversaw the case as a visiting judge after other local judges recused themselves. He ordered that the ex-parte civil stalking protection order initially granted in the case be vacated.

Following Tuesday's hearing, McKay stated that Frenchko's case did not demonstrate evidence of "actual threats of harm" or a "pattern of conduct" by way of either cyber intimidation or conduct that would've deemed a protection order necessary.

Frenchko claimed Shook harassed her at meetings and events around Trumbull County.

At county commissioners meetings, during times allotted for public comment, McKay acknowledged that Shook spoke and directed personal attacks toward Frenchko. On one instance, Shook demanded Frenchko disclose her mental health records, along with previously filed protection orders issued against her.

In the judgment entry, the judge said the commissioner chairman, "apparently" allowed those personal attacks to commence and that the public comments at the commissioners meetings were "fraught" with the possibility of leading to personal attacks without recourse.

McKay also noted that in one instance, Shook approached and stood in close proximity to Frenchko after the public comment period holding an anti-Frenchko political sign "in effort to put it (the sign) closer to her face," the court document stated.

Frenchko outlined in her complaint allegations that Shook took photos of her daughter at a local gas station, which then were posted to social media.

The court stated the photos were posted anonymously with "no provable connection to the posting and Shook."

On Oct. 21 at Trumbull County Republican Party headquarters, when the county GOP hosted 2024 Republican candidates, Frenchko claimed Shook appeared at the event to be near her. Shook countered that he had arrived at the event even before Frenchko.

Trumbull County Republican Party secretary Marleah Campbell backed up Shook's argument.

The court agreed that since the event was public, it did not constitute stalking.

Several other instances of similar claims that Shook followed her to events, including Warren City Council meetings and charitable events in Newton Falls also were public gatherings, with no proof of stalking.

Shook's mother testified that she previously was threatened by Shook, prompting her to obtain a protection order against her son. She added that she believed her son posed a danger to Frenchko, alleging Shook was led by others that disliked Frenchko and wanted her removed from office.

The judge also questioned credibility of the Shook's mother, since she seemed to be at odds with members of the local Republican party. The court ruled there was "no articulable facts" introduced and that the witness' testimony was inadmissible.

When the ex-parte protection order initially was ordered against Shook, Trumbull County sheriff's deputies found no firearms at Shook's residence and no evidence of threats of harm.

Frenchko said she was unable to comment on the ruling Thursday afternoon because she had not yet seen it.