CLEVELAND — A special prosecutor has been appointed in the criminal case of prominent Cleveland businessman Bobby George after Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley recused himself.
Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Jane Hanlin was officially appointed on Wednesday to lead the case. Hanlin has served as Jefferson County Prosecutor for 13 years and was an Assistant Jefferson County Prosecutor for seven years prior. She is also the past president of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorney’s Association.
George, who is well known for his ownership of restaurants including TownHall in Cleveland and other businesses in Ohio, is currently facing nine felonies, including rape, attempted murder and kidnapping.
O'Malley's decision to recuse himself comes amid concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
As 3News Investigates' Lynna Lai reported last week, dozens of pages of campaign finance records revealed that the George family, headed by patriarch Tony George (Bobby's father), has given more than $36,000 to O'Malley's campaigns over the years. That includes a $10,000 contribution from Tony in 2023 followed by another in 2024 for the same amount, giving O'Malley a boost as he defeated challenger Matthew Ahn in March's Democratic primary. O'Malley is seeking reelection to a third term in November.
According to Lexi Bauer, communications manager for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, O'Malley "does not believe he has ever met Robert George."
"However, to avoid any appearance of conflict, Prosecutor O’Malley decided last week to appoint a Special Prosecutor to lead the investigation and bring whatever criminal charges may be appropriate," she added in a statement to 3News.
Meanwhile, George's legal team is considering a potential lawsuit against the city of Cleveland. 3News obtained a copy of a letter sent to Cleveland Law Director Mark Griffin instructing his office "to preserve documents, tangible things, and electronically stored information (ESI) that are potentially relevant to the anticipated lawsuit and that are in the prospective party's possession, custody, or control." The letter is signed by Leo M. Spellacy Jr. of Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan.
In a preview of what the lawsuit could look like, George's lawyers appear to be making claims that members of the law department were biased in their decision to charge George with nine felonies. Specifically, they pointed to a separate Dec. 2, 2023, letter sent to prospective Cuyahoga County Democratic political candidates from a number of organizations that advised them against doing business with or taking money from the George family.
"As an aspiring candidate and a flagbearer of the Democratic Party, you are who you surround yourself with. A heightened sense of due diligence is therefore expected of you," the letter, which made reference to the numerous controversies surrounding the Georges over the years, read. "You must ask yourself this question: Are these the people l want to be associated with, let alone finance?"
3News' Stephanie Haney spoke with Griffin on Thursday, who said the preservation request is "pretty normal."
"We're doing everything according to protocol," he added. "City of Cleveland has public records obligations, so it's already required that everything gets preserved."
When reached by 3News for comment, spokesperson Tyler Sinclair also stressed that the city commonly gets these types of preservation letters and abides by them. He added, "We will do the same here as this is no different than others."
Hanlin told Haney that the letter seeking evidence preservation will not impact the case moving forward in Cuyahoga County.
3News has reached out to George's legal team for more about the letter, plus reaction to the appointment of a special prosecutor in the case. We will post any updates here.
3News' Tyler Carey and Lynna Lai contributed to this report
Previous Reporting:
- Cleveland businessman Bobby George threatens to sue city following arrest for rape, attempted murder
- 3News Investigates: George family has donated more than $36,000 to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley's political campaigns over the years
- Cleveland police report reveals new details in connection with domestic violence charges against TownHall owner Bobby George