On Friday, November 1, 2024, Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, filed a complaint in the Supreme Court of Ohio against the Clark County Municipal Court and its judges, alleging preferential treatment afforded to former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance regarding criminal charges related to misconduct in Springfield.
The case is entitled “State ex rel. Jozef v. Clark County Municipal Court, S.Ct. Ohio,” with case number 2024-1532.
The complaint targets Administrative Judge Valerie J. Wilt, Judge Daniel D. Carey, and Judge Stephen A. Schumaker. It contends that these judges violated local and state court rules by granting special treatment to Trump and Vance, who are accused of various criminal offenses stemming from their actions during a political campaign that allegedly disrupted public services in Springfield.
According to the legal filing, the complaint seeks writs of prohibition and mandamus, urging the Supreme Court to compel the municipal court to adhere to established legal procedures and treat all individuals equally under the law. Jozef emphasized the importance of equal justice, stating that everyone, including political figures, should be subject to the same legal standards.
The background of the case involves allegations made by Jozef and the Haitian Bridge Alliance, which is a nonprofit organization focused on advocating for fair treatment of immigrants. On September 24, 2024, they submitted an affidavit to the Clark County Municipal Court, presenting evidence that Trump and Vance committed crimes against Ohio residents. The charges include disrupting public services, making false alarms, telecommunications harassment, and aggravated menacing.
The allegations specifically detail how Trump and Vance allegedly incited panic and fear within the Haitian community in Springfield by spreading false claims about Haitian immigrants. These claims purportedly led to multiple bomb threats, school closures, and other significant disruptions in the community.
On September 30, the charges were amended to include felony counts of inducing panic. The complaint asserts that the actions of Trump and Vance resulted in a series of chaotic events, including evacuations and threats against local officials, which violated Ohio’s laws regarding public safety and order.
The complaint further outlines how the municipal court’s judges deviated from standard procedures by designating a special case number for the proceedings involving Trump and Vance, which is not typical for criminal cases. Judge Wilt’s decision to have the case reviewed en banc, meaning by all judges of the court together, is cited as unprecedented and unauthorized under Ohio law.
The judges’ refusal to issue arrest warrants for Trump and Vance, as well as their subsequent referral of the case to the Clark County Prosecutor for further investigation, have been characterized by the complaint as indicative of the special treatment given to the defendants. The judges’ rationale included references to the First Amendment rights, but the complaint argues that free speech protections do not shield individuals from accountability for harmful actions.
Jozef and the Haitian Bridge Alliance are represented by attorneys from Chandra Law, who argue that the municipal court’s process was tainted and lacked proper legal foundation. They contend that the en banc assignment was improper and that no legal basis existed for treating Trump and Vance’s case differently from other private citizen-initiated criminal charges.
The complaint highlights that the Ohio Rules of Superintendence do not permit the kind of case assignment that was made in this instance, and calls for reassignment to a different judge who has not been involved in the allegedly flawed process.
The impact of the alleged misconduct by Trump and Vance on the Springfield community is also noted in the affidavit, which describes the distress caused by their statements and actions. The complaint emphasizes the need for accountability and a fair judicial process for all individuals, regardless of their political status.
As of the filing date, the Clark County Prosecutor had not taken action in response to the complaints and allegations made by Jozef and the Bridge, which adds to the urgency of the legal action taken in the Supreme Court.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
