Visiting Judge H.F. Inderlied Jr. left the temporary restraining order in place in Mahoning County Municipal Court Thursday. 

Judge Inderlied presided over the hearing involving current Struthers Municipal Judge Dominic Leone and alleged threats he made to Struthers Mayor Cat Cercone Miller at the May 2 primary election.

Two weeks ago, the mayor filed for a protection order against Leone, claiming he threatened and harassed her.

Witnesses for Cercone Miller told the court that they and other city hall workers felt intimidated by Leone.

While Judge Leone claims the conflict is strictly at odds politically, however, Mayor Cercone Miller and witnesses said that the issues started as far back as early 2020.

Witnesses in the case who testified included Struthers Police Chief Roy 'Tim' Roddy, who testified that saw the animosity growing between the two, but never personally witnessed any incident.

At the hearing, Struthers Municipal Clerk of Court Amsi Medina testified that he witnessed changes in procedures when the mayor and the judge were in the courthouse, stating that the feuding between the two was becoming more frequent. Medina stated the mayor would contact him to find out if the Judge Leone was in the building, and if he was there, Miller recently stopped coming to city hall.

The defendant's attorney claims that Cercone Miller claim lacks the burden of proof, and claims that she is not the victim.

But Cercone Miller testified that her proof is the physical and mental stress and risk of safety.

Miller also testified that Leone was clenching his fists on election, and she claims showed physical and verbal aggression, but that she had known Leone since high school, and the tension between them has been in recent years.

The emergency protection order was filed after the May 2 primary, and accused Leone of being "mentally unstable" and "erratic". She described an incident at a polling location on Election Day where she says Leone yelled at and harassed her and others.

He's accused in the complaint of calling her a "fat b****" and threatening to "get rowdy" with her

 

Judge Leone was defeated Struthers Municipal Court Judge, losing to Democratic opponent James Melone