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Video: Former Ohio judge dragged from courtroom after she’s sentenced

Tracie Hunter received a six-month sentence

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By Cliff Pinckard
The Plain Dealer, Cleveland

CINCINNATI, Ohio — A former judge convicted in 2014 of a felony count of mishandling documents was dragged from a courtroom Monday after she was sentenced to six months in jail, reports say.

WCPO Channel 9 reports the former judge, Tracie Hunter, appeared to go limp in her seat after the sentence was read by Hamilton County Judge Patrick Dinkelacker. Although some believed she had passed out, WCPO reports Hunter could be seen looking around and flicking her fingers as she was dragged out the courtroom by a sheriff’s deputy.

In addition, one of the judge’s supporters was arrested as she tried to reach the defense table, NBC News reports. Other supporters shouted in anger after the sentence was read, according to NBC News.

Local 12 reports Hunter was convicted in 2014 of a felony after she gave documents to her brother, a county employee, that could help him in regard to his work with the county.

Dinkelacker had received several letters and recommendations, including one from Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, urging the judge to not put Hunter behind bars, NBC News reports. Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters had asked Dinkelacker to order a mental health evaluation for Hunter, Local 12 reports.

But Scott Croswell, a special prosecutor during Hunter’s trial in 2014, told Dinkelacker that Hunter deserved a six-month sentence, WLWT Channel 5 reports.

“What she wants to do is play by her own set of rules,” Croswell said, according to WLWT. “That’s the very attitude and the very conduct that put her in the predicament that she’s in and, frankly, has caused all this pain to her and caused all this turmoil to the community.”

Local 12 reports Deters had asked Gov. Mike DeWine to look at options that would keep Hunter out of jail, including possibly commuting her sentence.

A spokesman for DeWine tells Local 12 the governor had not received a formal request for commutation from Hunter.

©2019 The Plain Dealer, Cleveland

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