It is obvious that soon to be "former" Trustee Tim Wise is a very bright guy.
Perhaps too smart for his own political good.
In the opinion of the SCPR, he got it in for the Devies family (Police Chief Ron Devies and his son Kyle), and seized on a politically "unwise" course of events that resulted in his coming in 4th out 4 candidates for Marlboro Township trustee in the election held yesterday.
Yours truly is still astounded by Wise's taking what appears to be have been a communications problem between Ron and Kyle Devies and township officials (Trustee Wolf, in the main) and invoking the insertion of the Stark County's sheriff/prosecutor's office which resulted in criminal charges being filed against the Devies.
Not only was the Wise/Wolf/sheriff/prosecutor venture politically unwise for Trustees Wise and Wolf (the Devies family is sort of an institution in Marlboro), but it was legal disaster from the get-go.
Sheriff Tim Swanson (via Chief Deputy Rick Perez) and Prosecutor John Ferrero (via his chief criminal prosecutor Dennis Barr) failed Marlboro residents and all of Stark County in allowing this "misunderstanding" to escalate into a criminal prosecution.
Swanson, Perez, Ferrero and Barr owe Marlboro and Stark Citizens an apology for not stopping this "runaway freight train." But do not hold your breath. These folks have egos that will not quit and therefore there will be no apology.
Judge Lee Sinclair put them back on their heels in dismissing the case right after the prosecution had finished its side of the case. The defense did not have to put on a case at all. This, folks, was a "legal slam dunk." And yours truly (an attorney - but not criminal defense) knew it was a non-starter from the beginning was the the first and only media type to say so.
Can you imagine all the public tax dollars and resources that went into this "never should have been prosecuted" case?
Beyond Marlboro, that a highly respected police chief and son experience communication problems could end up being criminally prosecuted should not be lost on Stark County voters the next time Swanson (it will likely be Perez for Sheriff in 2012) and Ferrero run again.
The SCPR will be periodically reminding voters between now and November, 2010 of the failure of the sheriff's department and the prosecutor's office in the Devies matter.
Stark Countians are reminded that Perez, when he investigated this "minor" matter, thought he had to wear a "hidden" wire because he did not trust a fellow police officer to tell the truth.
The "wire wearing" was not lost on police officers throughout Stark County and the SCPR believes that Perez - in donning the wire - did enormous damages to Stark County law enforcement confidence and trust in the Stark County sheriff's office.
If Perez does run to succeed Swanson (the SCPR does not believe that Swanson will serve a full four year term), he has an awful lot of "explainin" to do and appologies to issue in order to have any chance whatsoever of being elected.
Larry Dordea is soon to become police chief in Hartville. He was just elected to city council in Alliance. And, he plans to run for for Stark County sheriff in 2012.
Dordea learned a lot from his 2008 try against Swanson.
What Dordea could have planned on is Perez getting stupid and doing what he did in the Devies matter.
If the line up stays as anticipated and Dordea doesn't play the blunderbuss like Perez somewhere along the way; he has to be the favorite in a Dordea/Perez match up.
In the end, the "unwise" and "unwarranted" (in the opinion of the SCPR) actions that we have witnessed in Marlboro Township - January through November, 2009 - could result not only in Trustee Tim Wise becoming - as he has as of last night - a "former" trustee come January, 2010 but also in the eventual political demise of Sheriff Tim Swanson and his cohort Rick Perez and, indeed, Prosecutor John Ferrero!
Oh, by-the-way:
Congratulations Trustee-elect Eddleman, and - must I say it - Hagan.
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