The Lucas County Board of Elections has planned a special meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 3 after its usual meeting at 5 p.m. to “request” an investigation on potentially inconsistent signatures on multiple Lucas County Republican Party financial documents, according to Lucas County BOE Executive Director Linda Howe.

The special meeting was set before the Secretary of State requested the investigation July 31 in a letter from David M. Farrell, the deputy assistant secretary of state and director of elections.

Toledo Free Press on July 30 asked the Lucas County BOE to investigate whether Lucas County Republican Party Treasurer James Damas’s signature was forged on multiple documents filed with the Lucas County BOE.

Lucas County Republican Party Chairman Jon Stainbrook did not return calls for comment, but told FOX Toledo on July 30 the TFP article raising the concerns was “a bunch of baloney.”

I hate rats. Loathe them. Fear them. Like Indiana Jones hates snakes. Like Peter Griffin hates the Ernie Giant Chicken. Like Carty Finkbeiner hates critics from the suburbs. Really. It’s that bad.
Rats are mindless, gnawing little demons. If they didn’t exist, Stephen King would have invented them.
Every time I encounter a rat, it scars my psyche.
I have a vivid memory of walking with my father in a field behind the Cedar Court railroad tracks in Walbridge, and screaming with revulsion when I kicked a log that revealed scores of mice crawling over each other, fleeing over my sandaled, 9-year-old feet.
My dad started stomping on the mice, and one of the bigger ones actually split; its side fur parted and all of its inner workings and ichor pushed out, but it ran for several yards before its fellow mice lunged at the dripping innards and began chewing.
Just nasty.
The apartment building we lived in during the late-1980s, off Western Avenue and Field Street, was infested with field mice. Traps caught a few, but every so often, out of the corner of one’s eye, a dark, quick motion would compel the skull to swivel toward the filthy little vermin as they left trails of bubonic plague along the baseboards.
When I moved to Washington, D.C. in 1997, I traded field mice for rats. Rats in The District are healthy, fast suckers, and they do not fear humans. I have seen them stand their ground against approaching people until the last possible second, holding their ground as if sizing up how many bites it would take to bring down an adult.
One time, Toledo visitors were walking with me down a twilight-time Georgetown street (I refused to walk on the sidewalks where the rats ruled, preferring to take my chances with traffic) when a monster rat ran by us.
“Hey,” the young boy with us squealed, “a bunny!”
“Yeah, a bunny,” I thought. “You keep thinking that.”
I never got used to rats being part of the landscape in D.C., and nothing I saw of their behavior allayed my fears.
So when I read of two recent rat attacks, my entire being went cold.
From the Associated Press:
“Baby covered in rodent bites bled to death
WESTWEGO, La. — A 3-month-old suburban New Orleans girl whose body was covered with rodent bites bled to death before she was found in her crib. Westwego Police Chief Dwayne Munch said Natalie Hill had severe wounds on her nose and leg along with more than 100 suspected rat bites when her parents found her body, which was stained with bloody rodent footprints. No charges have been filed, but Munch said police are still investigating.”
And this, also from the Associated Press:
“3 accused of letting rats chew toes off Ohio baby
WAVERLY, Ohio — Three people have been accused of letting rats bite a 6-week-old girl and chew off her toes at their cluttered Ohio mobile home. Pike County prosecutor Rob Junk says the baby’s toes on one foot were gone. The baby is in fair condition at a Columbus hospital. A married couple and the 18-year-old boyfriend of the baby’s mother are charged with felony child endangering.”
This stuff gives me nightmares. I am sure some PETA scholar could educate me on the loss to the planet if all rats disappeared, but now that there is a pattern of rat-on-infant attacks, why are we not demanding death to all rats?
Officials should post on rats’ favorite blog sites and Web sites that a grand meeting of all rats on the planet is taking place, and all rats have to be there to collect their share of the greatest cheese ever made. This meeting could take place in an area that can hold a lot of rats, like the Grand Canyon or the House of Representatives or the Toledo Club. When the rats show up, we can kill every one of them in some gentle and humane manner, like dropping them into a giant woodchipper.
I even have a rat story about Carty Finkbeiner, one I shared with you when Finkbeiner declared himself a mayoral candidate in 2005.
This took place way back in the early ’90s, as Carty and some of his handlers were giving reporters a walking tour of the land that eventually became The Docks.
As we walked along the riverfront, we came upon a very large, very dead rat nudging the shoreline, rising and falling with the tide.
When Carty saw it, he segued from discussing fine dining and economic development to yelling at one of his aides to get on the phone to get someone down to clean up the riverfront, and he yelled and gestured and blustered, curse words peppering the cadence of his speech like Jimi Hendrix guitar notes, pointing as if fire flew from his fingertips, then he segued back to talking about the restaurants and the elegant diners and many jobs, and he never broke stride.
By the time our walking tour was finished, someone was down there fishing that rat out of the river.
Back then, I thought Carty reacted so strongly just because the rat blemished his presentation.
Now, four years later, having watched the man work and having been on the receiving end of his nuclear temper and erroneous accusations, I wonder … maybe he shares my fear and loathing of rats; maybe he was upset because what he saw in the water that day too closely blurred with his reflection.

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press. Contact him at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

Jermey Hampton lived with extended family members across town and in two shelters while growing up after his parents separated.
But despite his changes of address, 2250 N. Detroit Ave. — the Boys & Girls Clubs (BGC) Homer Hanham Unit — was one address he could count on.
“Boys and Girls Clubs was my home because the one building I still had my foot in was Boys and Girls Clubs,” Hampton, 17, said.
His BGC lanyard and graduation key necklace have become a part of his outfit.
“He probably wears [the lanyard] everywhere,” said Director of Program Operations Shawna Woody.
BGC locations “offer building-centered programs targeted at disadvantaged youth,” according to its Toledo Web site. It offers a variety of extracurricular and leadership activities for children ages 7 to 17.
Hampton graduated from Libbey High School this year, sixth in his class. He’s the first high school graduate in his family, he said.
He earned a full ride to UT. UT’s Blue and Gold Scholarship will cover tuition, and the BGC Toledo Carson Scholarship will cover room and board, said BGC Toledo Executive Director Dave Wehrmeister said.
Hampton’s dedication to others also impresses BGC staff. When Hampton enrolls at UT this fall, he plans to work at BGC. Woody said he dedicates himself to the other youth. Rather than give orders, he mediates and educates, she said.
“He’ll talk to them and explain what it is they shouldn’t do, whatever behavior is unfavorable,” she said.
Wehrmeister agreed.
“We’re extremely proud of him,” Wehrmeister said. “He’s a great role model for all kids, and we’re happy to have him.”
Hampton’s leadership and academic performance impressed judges at state and regional BGC levels. He earned the title of Ohio Youth of the Year at state finals April 24 in Perrysburg. He continued to regionals on July 8 in Chicago and was a runner-up.
In addition to a written interview, Hampton presented a three-minute speech about what BGC meant to him.
He stood up donning his red BGC lanyard and recited the speech from memory. It came off smoothly, even weeks after his last presentation.
“The Boys and Girls Clubs have been and will always be my home, period,” Hampton said.
Hampton said his father’s influence kept his academic determination strong.
“My father was always like, ‘Go to school,’” Hampton said. “He never said, ‘Go to college.’ He said, ‘Graduate, graduate, graduate.’ That’s an influential part of what kept me going.”
Woody said she’s excited for his accomplishments, drive and dedication to others. She was an important mentor in Hampton’s life, he said.
“I am so proud of him,” Woody said. “I went to his graduation. Every time I see Jermey at different milestones, I could cry.”
For those youth who find themselves in challenging situations, Hampton said to consider his journey.
“I’d tell them, ‘Don’t give up,’” Hampton said. “It’s going to work out. Look at me — I’ve been through it.”

The winners of the 20th Annual Diamante Awards will be announced Sept. 11 during a ceremony at the Franciscan Center at Lourdes College.
While 19 people were nominated for this year’s Diamante Awards, only four awards will be given: Latino/Latina Youth Leadership, Latino/Latina Adult Leadership, Corporation/Community Agency and Friend to the Latino Community.
According to committee member Margarita DeLeon, the awards serve “to recognize individuals who support and promote Latino issues and causes and to raise scholarship funds for Latino students.”
The awards were created in 1989 by IMAGE of Northwest Ohio as a means of recognizing those who advanced Latino issues in the community.
DeLeon, who has served as a fundraiser, adviser and committee member for 20 years, said the event also aims to promote education among Latino youth.
“The awards also serve as an event to help inspire students to go to school and businesses to help with fundraising,” she said.
Scholarships are raised through four institutions: UT, BGSU, Lourdes College and Owens Community College.
According to DeLeon and the Lourdes Web site, these four institutions formed the Diamante Initiate in 2003 with the goal of raising funds to help Latinos achieve a post-secondary education. The initiative raised $500,000 from its inception through 2006.  The institutions continue to collaborate to help Latinos achieve success in the classroom.  In total, 30 scholarships will be awarded at this year’s ceremony.
According to Lourdes College Vice President of Institutional Advancement Mary Arquette, Lourdes has five endowed scholarships that have been developed through the college’s participation in the Diamante Initiative.
“Over the course of the Diamantes, we have put together almost $100,000 in terms of scholarship support,” she said.
She praised the four institutions that make up the initiative for selflessly striving to further the education of Latinos.
“We all put aside our own institutions to come together in this collaboration, and it has been very rewarding for Lourdes College and our Latino students. We are proud and honored to be a part of this collaboration.”
Prior to 2003, Arquette said Lourdes had done little to address the specific financial needs of Latinos.  However, through the Diamante Initiative, Lourdes students have begun a Hispanic Advisory Council and a Latino Student Union.
“Both of these groups have been established due to Diamante,” she said. “They help us to ascertain how we can help Latinos.”
Approximately 2 percent of Lourdes’ 2,200 students are Latino.  But on the whole, Lourdes remains dedicated to its entire student body’s financial needs.
“We try to make our education affordable for all students, including our Latino students,” she said.
“The Diamante Awards are the premier Latino event,” De Leon said.  “We host it at the beginning of September to kick off Latino Heritage Month,” which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
There are many ways to support Latino students in the Toledo area.  The Diamante Awards serve as the main fundraiser for the Diamante Initiative, so attendance in itself is appreciated. Through Lourdes College, Arquette stated, a person may set up a pass-through scholarship with a donation of at least $500 or contribute through an endowed scholarship, which requires a $10,000 gift and is awarded in perpetuities.
“We work with donors to establish criteria for each scholarship,” she said.
According to DeLeon, this year’s Diamante Awards are open to all who would like to attend. The event will feature entertainment, Latino cuisine, a silent auction and cash bar. This year’s emcee will be BGSU Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Albert Colom. Those wishing to attend should call Kelly Dilworth at (419) 824-3751.

2008 Diamante Award Winners

• Oriana Orozco is a student at Lourdes College who took action to further the cause of Latinos on campus through the Latino Student Union.
• Albert Flores is a teacher at Libbey High School.
• The Chrysler Corporation, which has donated $15,000 in scholarship funds, had been a main sponsor of the Diamante’s for four years, and the Corporation/Community Agency Award was given in appreciation of its support. DeLeon specifically mentioned Jeep Plant Manager Luis Rivas for his dedication to the Diamantes, despite his busy schedule.
• Mark Pickett was recognized for his aid to migrant farm workers.

Last week’s blog exposed some of the underlying problems with Exchange-Traded Funds, or ETFs for short. Among these problems is the fact that many of them are essentially derivatives products. Many astute investors will recall that derivatives were large contributors to the market crash last year.

Also making a huge impact last year was excess leverage (debt) in the financial system, much of which was built-in to these glamorous derivatives products. That is the second problem that many are now noticing inherent with ETFs. Renowned investor Warren Buffett has a saying about leverage: “If you’re smart you don’t need it, and if you’re dumb, you got no business using it.”

Oddly enough, since I wrote my blog for last week, both UBS and Edward Jones have announced that they will be halting sales of leveraged ETFs, due to the problems built-in to these complex financial instruments (Bloomberg). While they may not be frequent readers of mine, it’s good to see that someone shares my opinion.

In other regulatory news, the SEC announced this week that it is putting a permanent end to “naked short selling.” This is a rather complex rule in the markets and I won’t bore readers with a lengthy explanation. However, I did feel the need to comment that so-called naked short selling has actually been illegal for years now. It seems the SEC is just now deciding to actually enforce the rule.

However, this news should prompt some personal thought for readers: Do you really know what it is that you own? And more importantly, do you understand how your investments will react to changes in the investment world?

In addition to his proverbs regarding debt, Warren Buffet also argues that investors shouldn’t buy anything that they don’t understand. This concept applies to both individual stocks for companies in strange industries, as well as complex financial instruments that are understood by only a few select minds on Wall Street.

In the markets this week, we continue to anticipate a violent correction in stocks. On Tuesday we saw what we believe was a sign that stocks may be running out of steam after several weeks of bullish trading.

This is not to say we aren’t still bullish on the market. As numbers continue to come out, it is becoming more and more evident that the economy has slowed its decline and now appears to be in a holding pattern.

While recovery is slow, at least things don’t seem to be getting much worse, with the exception of unemployment. In fact, some sectors of the market are actually improving, albeit at a much slower pace than their decline last year.

In light of recent market action, I feel obligated to reiterate a point that I have made repeatedly in previous articles: Investors today have a vital need to understand the role their financial advisor plays. In this industry, there are some professionals who conduct extensive economic research and endless analytical work in order to recommend investments that fit the circumstances.

There are other people in this business who essentially work from a corporate formula to build portfolios for clients that do not take any consideration for economic conditions. And while there is undoubtedly a place in the world for salesmen, investors need to be extremely careful in understanding where these salesmen fit in to their finances.

We can all be certain that the world has changed since this time last year. The long-held concept buy-and-hold simply doesn’t work anymore. Investors need to adjust to the circumstances that now exist, and their investments need to reflect this change in strategy. What investors need now is an active money manager who conducts their own economic research, invest client funds accordingly, and move them appropriately as circumstances change.
Dock David Treece is a stockbroker licensed with FINRA. He works for Treece Financial Services Corp., www.TreeceInvestments.com. The above information is the express opinion of Dock David Treece and should not be used without outside verification.

Aries (March 21-April 19)
Shadow dancer. The eclipse illuminates the need to keep goals clear and efforts on track. Review or prepare a mission statement as the week begins. It’s easier to reach accords with partners and associates on Friday, as creative solutions bubble to the surface.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Universal connections. If you feel like you’ve been stuck in the shadows, the eclipse may shove you into the limelight. Some things may have to be rearranged to accommodate new expectations. Celebrate your good luck with friends as the weekend arrives.
Gemini (May 21-June 21)
Divine justice. Past learning and areas of mastery are highlighted this week, and may transform your current standing in the world. The ability to share with others is the source of great benefits. Plan to see and be seen at weekend gatherings, but drive cautiously.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
Calm contemplation. The eclipse highlights the dramatic changes that are occurring around you this year. Put this into perspective as the week begins; things may be turning out better than you expected. You’re a popular person at weekend events.
Leo (July 23-August 22)
A pink palace. Ambitious, high-level discussions dominate the week. Big things are happening around you, and this is a great time to cement your place in upcoming projects. Be aware that this may double your work load! Sharpen your time management skills.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
The Grand Poobah. Who and what you know provide leverage for long-term career improvements this week. Jealousy or resentment of dubious policies can taint the atmosphere. Sail past it, as Friday brings welcome news and invitations for pleasant gatherings.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
Shapes in the clouds. Secrets, lies and scandals are exposed as the week begins, which is good if you’re not the perpetrator! The eclipse illuminates critical turning points in long-term situations. The consequences and fallout are the subject of wicked weekend gossip.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
Secret quest. Outcomes and expectations move to a new level as the week begins. Your inner life and family/personal roots are the subject of midweek discussions. Emotional connections flow as the weekend arrives – reconnect with good friends.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
Love letters. You gain authority and respect with a special skill this week. The eclipse shakes opportunity-apples out of the trees, especially if you’re willing to collaborate. Good news of a notable step forward arrives Friday; mixed news on Saturday.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
Women’s woes. Involvement with educational or government institutions opens possibilities of profound change as the weekend begins. New resources become available, and spur plans for expansion. Anticipate a wonderful weekend, but watch for minor klutziness.
Aquarius (January 20-February 18)
Feed and nurture. The eclipse makes you particularly sensitive to emotions this week; moods may shift quickly, or go toward extremes. If avenues of opportunity are blocked, look for new ones on Friday. Friends introduce you to unexpected allies.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
Where sea meets shore. As the week begins, a group of clever, dynamic people are making big plans for the future. Health issues may focus on balance or spine problems. Friday is superb for social events, performances, and romantic dinners.

While looking over our soon-to-be first grader’s school supply list for this coming academic year, my husband and I began to reminisce about our own school shopping days. We both remember yearning for that holy grail of end-of-the-twentieth-century school supply items: the Trapper Keeper. It had either that flashy splash of brilliant 1980s color or an overly cheesy graphic adorning its oh-so-glorious plastic facade. Its plastic white binding rings slid together as smoothly as someone sliding their hand through their hair after a victorious game of “up high, down low, you’re too slow.”
As important as it seemed at the time, I don’t recall if I ever did score a real Trapper Keeper. However, I do remember narrowly escaping the death grip of its cheap, flapless, metal-ringed knock offs on more than one occasion over the years. After our little stroll down memory lane, I couldn’t help but take a peek on eBay to catch a glimpse of what was once the object of my educational desire.
To my amazement, the Trapper Keeper, while brilliant in terms of marketing prowess, really was just a plastic binder with cheap plastic rings and a Velcro flap. The quest for stylish school supplies was invariably just a microcosm of the general quest for cool that each impending school year was bound to bring.
I am certainly happy that my days of seeking acceptance based on trendiness are over. At this point, I’m so far removed that I’m honestly not even sure if the word “cool” is even utilized any longer as anything but a temperature indicator. Still, I know such days are right around the corner for my children.
Luckily, my eldest has not yet reached that phase of academia. In fact, when I asked him which backpack he wanted this year, he quickly reminded me that he already had a backpack from last year. Fair enough; that’s a sound decision and $14.99 plus tax right back in our pockets. When I realized the price of lunch boxes along with his indifference to purchasing the latest and greatest, I casually suggested that he just take one of the plain ones that we already had at home. Agreed.
I wish we could agree that every year would be like this year. Let’s just forget about any silly must-have three-ring binders or can’t-live-without articles of clothing. Let’s forgo the years of pining for the current decade’s equivalent of parachute pants, Coca-Cola rugby shirts and A-Team lunch boxes. Let’s just make school about learning. What do you say, kids?
I know; socialization is a large part of the learning that takes place in school, and finding your own personal style is a large part of socialization. Yet, I find it a bit sad that I remember caring much more about the dealings of the United Colors of Benetton in school than the dealings of the United Nations. Honestly, as much as I would have lobbied against it in my own school days, school uniforms now seem like an idea with merit.
If we could quantify the brain power students shift away from academics to focus on the latest trends, the result would no doubt be astounding.
I suppose taking a turn at indulging in the scholastic life’s more frivolous offerings is every up-and-coming student’s prerogative. I won’t fault my children for having their icing on their cake, just as I did during my own school days. I only ask that they keep reading, writing and arithmetic as the cake and clothing, TV, video games and music as the icing.
Maybe all of the supplemental pop culture stuff does hold educational value. When my own memory and an electronic dictionary search failed me miserably, I was able to figure out how to spell “prerogative” by popping the phrase “Bobby Brown lyrics” into a search engine. Thanks, Mr. Brown; I guess you have your moments.

Shannon and her husband Michael are raising three children in Sylvania. E-mail her at letters@toledofreepress.com.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (Electronic Arts)

It’s simply the best video game golf experience thanks to amazing controls that include the optional Wii Motion Plus. Even though Electronic Arts took away the “All-Play version” label golfers of all levels can still enjoy Tiger Woods’ player friendly frolics. The controls are amazing and mimic real life while the new precision putting functions noticeably better than the last installment.

The manual is pretty basic, but you’ll find immense information among the game menus including a practice mode. The icons and meters help you measure and estimate those perfect shots. It’s very easy to succeed and customize your character.

Career modes let you play the PGA Tour season, skip to the FedEx Cup or match up against Tiger in the Tournament Challenge. The expanded multiplayer online tournaments include live tournaments and friend codes are not required. Online golfers can compete worldwide and vie for leader board supremacy.

The large course set includes Banff Springs, Bay Hill Club, Doral Golf Resort, Harbor Town Golf Links, The K Club, Oakmont Golf Club, Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, Torrey Pines Golf Course, Wentworth Golf Club and Westchester Golf Course.

The new disc golf mode, offline multiplayer party games, quick mini games (like putt-putt) and humorous announcers (Scott Van Pelt and Kelly Tilghman) enhance the experience even more. The live weather feature (using the Wii Menu’s Forecast Channel) matches the game conditions with real time weather adding a great dimension to a strong visual experience, though the graphics need more polishing in some areas. (***1/2, rated E, also available on the PSP, PlayStation2, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)

Toledoans looking for the fast track to Downtown nightlife will have a new option Aug. 7.
Beginning at 8 p.m., the Night Life Navigator will begin its trial run, shuttling Toledoans to Downtown nightspots. The shuttle will run down Adams Street, around the entertainment district and to the waterside on North Summit Street.
The Navigator will be tested in preparation for the opening of the new sports arena set to open in October. The trial period is set for Fridays and Saturdays until Aug. 27, and will run until 2 a.m.
The Navigator is sponsored by Destination Toledo Inc. and will be free of charge to riders.
“We hope it will be used enough to sustain itself and run Friday and Saturday every week of the year,” David Nolan of Destination Toledo said.
Destination Toledo is starting the service so “Toledoans and visitors have safe, reliable and easy transportation options so they can enjoy entertainment at many different venues.”
Larry Ross, general manager of the Crowne Plaza, said, “Anything that enhances visibility of transportation Downtown is good for all businesses. This will be a way to provide good customer service for those who come stay in our hotel. This is an opportunity for them to visit other businesses Downtown without driving, especially since most customers arrive without a car.”
The shuttle service will be complemented by having the number for Black & White Cab Co. on the tables of nightspots to provide a safe ride home at the end of the evening. Destination Toledo “hopes once residents understand that taxi and transportation services are available, they might enjoy the Downtown area more frequently.”
“The idea is to build the emerging entertainment district. We need to provide a service like this so people can discover new and exciting places uptown and Downtown,” Nolan said.
Many Downtown bars and restaurants will be among the stops of the Navigator, including Manhattans, the Blarney Irish Pub, Bronze Boar, Avalon, The Attic, Tony Packo’s, Crowne Plaza and Aqua Bar.
“We are a thriving entertainment mecca,” said Nolan. “We hope this helps residents realize that.”
For more information on the Night Life Navigator or Toledo Nightlife, or visit dotoledo.org.

Nineteen years is a long time. Unless that’s all the time you spend in prison for shooting a man in the back of the head and scrounging through the dead man’s pockets for cash. That’s when 19 years doesn’t seem long enough. And Tim McKown is determined that his father’s killer spend more than 19 years in a cage.
“He walked in, blew his brains out” McKown said. “That’s cold blooded.”
Elwood “Poe” McKown was a familiar name in the west Toledo neighborhood of my childhood. Most of the fences you had to jump to retrieve a stray ball or Frisbee bore small “Poe McKown Fence Company” signs. But we only knew the name. Years later we discovered, tragically, who Poe McKown was.
It was a Saturday afternoon, June 21, 1985. “Poe” McKown was sitting alone in his office on Haverhill at Berdan, when 24-year-old Jeffrey McDermott, a former McKown Fence Company employee, walked in, said hi to Poe and moments later, put a bullet in his head. He was so close to his victim, testimony later revealed, that McDermott’s hands and shoes were covered with McKown’s blood. McDermott then took about $4,500 in cash out of McKown’s pants pocket. He reportedly used some of the cash to pay an attorney whom he confessed to later that evening.
But that confession remained secret for nearly five years. During those five years, Tim McKown made it his job to find his father’s killer. He posted a $20,000 reward. He rented billboards to publicize the reward and beg for information. He traveled around the country following dead-end leads on suspects. It wasn’t until McDermott’s friend, the brother of the attorney McDermott confessed to, went to police in 1990 that the case was cracked.
The attorney, now deceased, claimed attorney-client privilege, refusing to testify to the confession at McDermott’s capital murder trial in 1993. The attorney was cited for contempt of court and sent to jail. Without the attorney’s testimony, conviction was uncertain. The other key prosecution witnesses were shady characters with little credibility. So prosecutors, conferring with Tim McKown, decided to accept a plea bargain: the state of Ohio would drop its pursuit of the death penalty, and McDermott would plea guilty to murder and be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison plus three years for using a gun. Tim McKown agreed to the deal on two conditions: first, that McDermott wouldn’t appeal his sentence, and second, that he’d make a written confession.
“That was seven and a half years of my life,” Tim McKown told me. “When I read the confession at my dad’s grave site, it was over.”
But it’s not over.
On Aug. 26, the Ohio Parole Board will for the second time decide whether to release McDermott into society. And his release is not unlikely. In fact, if McKown hadn’t been notified that McDermott had been recommended for parole, he wouldn’t have been able to file an objection, and McDermott’s release would be a near certainty.
“I never expected him to do life but I thought it would be more than 15 years. I always knew this day would come,” Tim McKown said.
Those of us whose lives have not been visited by such violent tragedy cannot relate to the tortuous prospect of having their loved one’s killer back in their community. What if you’re filling your tank at the BP station and you see him three pumps over? You’re at a Mud Hens game and there he is, enjoying life, a life that, if it weren’t for attorney-client privilege, might have been taken from him by the state of Ohio years ago.
“This is a confessed murderer, a cold-blooded murderer. This is not a guy who professes his innocence,” McKown argued.
McKown moved back to Toledo from Florida last winter to launch a campaign to keep McDermott behind bars. Posters, a news media blitz, a letter-writing campaign — whatever it takes to thwart McDermott’s release.
“I know this is my last shot to keep him there. All I want is five [more years,” he said. “He does not by any means deserve the minimum. I’m not asking for the maximum. Give me the reasonable.”