In both the SPBR proceeding and the civil case, Prosecutor Paul Gains has tried to block Desmond from gathering and presenting evidence of rampant Mahoning County prosecutorial misconduct. Apparently relying on Raskin's false statements about Judge Inderlied's ruling, the SPBR administrative law judge stayed the hearing pending further briefing.
Visiting Judge Inderlied, who reviewed the purported federal orders ruled against Mahoning County's attempts to keep the information hidden—and ruled in Desmond's favor. Judge Inderlied specifically found that Desmond's questions and answers on the same topic were "appropriate" and permissible.
But Desmond shows in his motion to disqualify that Raskin and his compadres' factual and legal assertion to the judge was blatantly false. Desmond attaches to his motion and quotes from an official court transcript of proceedings from the related Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas case.
Suit alleges prosecuting attorney Paul Gains and chief assistant Linette Stratford lied about former asst. prosecutor Martin Desmond and wrongfully terminated him after he witnessed and reported constitutional violations in the prosecutor's office.
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO – Today, Martin Desmond, a former assistant prosecuting attorney in Mahoning County, filed a civil lawsuit against the county, prosecuting attorney Paul Gains, and chief assistant Linette Stratford for defamation and civil liability for criminal acts, among other claims.
The complaint alleges that, in an effort to cover up and divert from Stratford and Gains’s own failure to take earlier action, the two targeted Desmond. Once Desmond submitted his written report, Stratford used the opportunity to conduct an investigation of Desmond.
Desmond’s complaint alleges that he was a well-regarded, hard-working, dedicated servant of the County, prosecuting roughly 1,000 criminals during his 13-year tenure with the prosecutor’s office. During his career, Desmond received numerous commendation letters and awards from former-FBI Director Robert Mueller III, ...
According to the complaint, Stratford knew or should have known that what she was alleging was false. Stratford’s defamatory memo led to a suspension letter that Gains then rubberstamped, the complaint alleges. In turn, the bogus allegations in that suspension letter became the basis for terminating Desmond.
The complaint also alleges that Gains has further retaliated against Desmond by instructing his former colleagues and even court personnel not to associate with Desmond. Subodh Chandra, Desmond’s lead counsel, said, “Martin Desmond was just the kind of assistant prosecutor Mahoning County needs—honest, dedicated, and courageous.
Last week, a State Personnel Board of Review (SPBR) hearing conducted by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) over Martin Desmond’s 2017 job termination ended abruptly after Mahoning County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Gains and his office tried to keep information related to alleged criminal activity within the Prosecutor's Office from becoming public.
Last week, a State Personnel Board of Review (SPBR) hearing conducted by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) over Martin Desmond’s 2017 job termination ended abruptly after Mahoning County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Gains and his office tried to keep information related to alleged criminal activity within the Prosecutor's Office from becoming public.