COLUMBUS, Ohio — After a News 5 Investigation revealed he jailed two teen brothers for refusing to see their dad, the state's Disciplinary Counsel is requesting The Board of Professional Conduct of The Supreme Court of Ohio sanction Geauga Co. Probate/Juvenile Court Judge Timothy J. Grendell.
The Disciplinary Counsel filed a 61-page Complaint and Certificate that alleges Grendell violated the Rules of Judicial Conduct when he jailed the brothers.
News 5 Investigators revealed serious legal concerns about how Judge Grendell punished the boys in our exclusive report "Juvenile Injustice" in October 2020.
RELATED: Two teen brothers refused to see their dad. An Ohio judge locked them up during a pandemic
The complaint cites the News 5 report in the misconduct count related to the boys' punishment:
The four-count complaint also alleges Grendell violated rules of conduct when he refused to allow COVID-19 testing of children with prior approval from the court, during a 2018 dispute at the Geauga County Auditor's Office, in confrontations with former Chardon Police Lt. Troy Duncan and Chardon Police Chief Scott Niehus, and during a speech to the Geauga County Tea Party in 2019, where he made "disparaging remarks" against local leaders and the media.
The fourth count alleges Grendell "abused the prestige of judicial office in testimony before a government body when he "continued to malign ODH (The Ohio Department of Health) over COVID-19 precautions."
News 5 Investigators have reached out to Judge Grendell, the boys' mother, Stacy Hartman, and the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
We'll report the latest information tonight on News 5 at 6 p.m.
You can read the full complaint below:
On Friday, Judge Grendell sent this statement to News 5:
