Lorain County Prosecutor J.D. Tomlinson and his chief of staff, James Burge, appeared for the first time in court since felony charges were filed against them earlier this week. They maintain their innocence.
Lorain County Prosecutor J.D. Tomlinson, left, and his chief of staff, James Burge, appeared in Elyria Municipal Court on Thursday after they were charged with felonies earlier this week.ELYRIA, Ohio – Lorain County Prosecutor J.D. Tomlinson and his chief of staff appeared in court Thursday as defendants, days after they were charged with felonies involving a former employee.
The charges stem from Tomlinson’s relationship with Jennifer Battistelli, whom he dated and hired as an outreach coordinator when he took office in January 2021. She told investigators that Tomlinson pushed her onto a couch in his office and shook her on Aug. 15, 2023, according to an affidavit by Sheriff’s Capt. Robert Vansant. She later resigned.
“We are absolutely innocent of these charges,” Tomlinson said, standing beside Burge. “We are very comfortable with the evidence we have. We look forward to our date in court.” Carroll gave Tomlinson and Burge two weeks to retain attorneys. They are to appear in court again Oct. 16. Vansant’s filing says that Battistelli had planned to report Tomlinson to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. That’s when Tomlinson and Burge tried to pressure her to change her story, the filing indicates.
One of those supporters was Nancy Smith, a former bus driver who spent 15 years in prison after her controversial conviction in the 1994 Lorain Head Start case.
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