On Tuesday, June 3, 2025, WLBT reported that a second judge is contemplating whether to recuse himself in the criminal case involving former Canton city engineer Rudy Warnock and former CMU Board of Commissioners member Cleveland Anderson. This development follows the recusal of U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate, who stepped down from the case due to a conflict of interest related to potential witnesses.

The case was reassigned to Judge Carlton Reeves through a random draw. During a status conference held on Monday, Reeves indicated that he might also need to recuse himself due to a professional relationship with attorney Lisa Ross, one of the prosecution’s witnesses. Reeves revealed that Ross has been on his court-ordered recusal list since he joined the court, primarily because of prior financial relationships from his time in private practice. He noted that Ross has represented family members of his, which contributed to the basis for the earlier order.

Ross previously acted as an attorney for the Canton Municipal Utilities (CMU), although it remains unclear if she continues to represent the agency. The CMU General Manager, Howard Young, mentioned last month that all media inquiries should be directed to Ross.

During the conference, Judge Reeves reviewed the list of witnesses for both the prosecution and defense. He acknowledged that he is familiar with several individuals that the prosecution intends to call, which raises questions about his ability to preside fairly over the case. He expressed concerns that if he remains on the case, the trial may not commence until next year, given that he already has criminal cases scheduled for July, August, and October, each expected to last several weeks.

“It’s a real likelihood that it won’t go forward on my calendar until next year,” Reeves stated, emphasizing that both the defense and the public have a right to a speedy trial. He noted the court’s responsibility to expedite the proceedings as much as possible.

Charles Kirkham, representing the U.S. Attorney’s Office, stated that he is prepared to move forward with the trial next week but will defer to the court’s judgment regarding Reeves’ potential recusal. He expressed uncertainty about whether Reeves would need to recuse himself since Ross is a witness and not a party to the case.

Damon Stevenson, Anderson’s attorney, mentioned that none of the involved parties were requesting the judge’s recusal. He raised concerns about the necessity of calling Ross as a witness, revealing that Anderson had previously sought her representation.

Warnock and Anderson are facing charges related to a bribery scheme that also involves two former Canton aldermen. They were indicted in December 2021. Warnock is charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of honest services wire fraud, while Anderson faces two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery.

The trial was originally set to begin on June 9. However, following Judge Wingate’s review of the witness list during a status conference on May 22, he decided to recuse himself from the case. Although the witness list was not publicly disclosed during the court session, Warnock’s attorney, John Colette, mentioned potential witnesses, including individuals referred to as “the Blackmons” and “Banks,” without providing their first names.

Attorneys for both Warnock and Anderson were made aware of Ross’s inclusion as a witness when prosecutors sent the witness list on May 21. They questioned her addition, as she had not been mentioned in previous discovery documents. Kirkham explained that Ross’s name emerged during the investigation, and interviewing her was deemed prudent since she had not been previously questioned.

Judge Reeves has granted a continuance until at least June 23 and indicated that a further status conference would likely occur before that date to determine his involvement in the case. He urged attorneys to file any outstanding motions and address any discovery issues in the interim, stating, “This is a pending matter with a lot of moving parts, and we need to get this to trial.”

 

 

Source: WLBT