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Friday, February 15, 2008

Ind. Courts - Still more on "Judge admits he's target of criminal probe"

Updating this ILB entry from Feb. 9th, Rick Yencer of the Muncie Star-Press reports today in a story headlined "Judge Lennington relinquishes tax-sale jurisdiction." that begins:

MUNCIE -- Delaware County Circuit Court 5 Judge Wayne Lennington has relinquished jurisdiction over all cases related to tax sales, a week after acknowledging he was the target of a criminal investigation that involves his personal investments.

All five Delaware Circuit Court judges, including Lennington, signed an order Wednesday that transferred tax sale cases to the other four courts, and allowed the re-assignment of criminal cases from Lennington's court at Delaware County Prosecutor Mark McKinney's discretion.

Circuit Court 1 Judge Marianne Vorhees told The Star Press that Lennington and his fellow judges agreed to transfer tax sale cases to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
"We want to assure people that all the tax sale properties will be handled correctly," Vorhees said.

Lennington told The Star Press last week he was under investigation by McKinney's office and state police for investments he made in firm owned by an Ohio man the judge now calls a scam artist.

Vorhees said that Lennington's acknowledgment of the probe prompted the judges to take Wednesday's action, as well as to explore what would happen with criminal cases should the ongoing investigation result in any formal charges.

"We don't know what is going to happen," said Vorhees, who wanted to give [Prosecutor] McKinney the call on transferring any criminal cases out of Lennington's court.

McKinney declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, referring questions to Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter's office, which has declined to say whether it is investigating Lennington.

Chief Deputy Prosecutor Ron Henderson spoke to Lennington Thursday and indicated criminal cases would continue to be filed in Circuit Court 5.

"(McKinney) has not given me any different indication," Henderson said.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 15, 2008 09:00 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts