After reporter threatened with jail, prosecutor says psych exam in Ohio bodies case was public
By APTuesday, March 23, 2010
Prosecutor: Ohio bodies case record was public
CLEVELAND — A prosecutor says a Cleveland serial-killing suspect’s psychiatric exam was a public record, nearly a week after a reporter who wrote about it was threatened with jail.
Assistant county prosecutor Richard Bombik said Monday the evaluation of Anthony Sowell (SOH’-wehl) was submitted as evidence and the public had a right to know about it.
Sowell has pleaded not guilty in the killings of 11 women whose remains were found at his Cleveland home.
A reporter for The Plain Dealer who wrote about the psychiatric report was threatened with arrest March 16 for missing an emergency hearing. But the judge backed off when she learned another judge had made the evaluation available.
Sowell’s lawyers maintain that releasing the report will make it tough for him to get a fair trial.
Information from: The Plain Dealer, www.cleveland.com
