COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther held a press conference Wednesday afternoon to provide an update on the independent investigations into the police response to recent protests.
Ginther said the law firm BakerHostetler will handle the investigations that are deemed to need administrative review.
He also said a professional investigator and retired FBI agent will handle incidents that could lead to criminal charges.
Ginther asked on June 1 for people to submit reports of excessive force by Columbus police for review.
He said about 40 incidents will be handled by BakerHostetler and 16 will be handled by the investigator, as of July 1.
Ginther also discussed the workgroup that will help put together a civilian review board.
Last month, Ginther said he wanted a civilian review board to independently review the Columbus Division of Police policies and procedures in place by the end of the year.
That workgroup to structure the civilian review board is:
- Jasmine Ayres, community organizer, Peoples Justice Project
- Fred Benton, attorney
- Bo Chilton, President and CEO, Impact Community Action
- Dr. Lewis Dodley, IMPACT Community Action
- Stephanie Hightower, President and CEO of Columbus Urban League
- Pastor Frederick LaMarr, President, Baptist Pastors Conference
- Kent Markus, General/Bar Counsel, Columbus Bar Association
- Jonathan McCombs, Dean of College of Health and Public Administration, Franklin University
- Ismail Mohammad, attorney, Ismail Law Office
- Densil R. Porteous, Chair, Create Columbus
- Aslyne Rodriguez, Director of Government Affairs, COTA
- Janay Stevens, President, John Mercer Langston Bar Association, Associate, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP
- Kyle Strickland, Senior Legal Analyst, Kirwin Institute
- Erin Synk, Director of Government Relations, LNE Group
- Nana Watson, President, NAACP Columbus
- Anthony Wilson, Vice President National Organization of Black Law Enforcement - Columbus Chapter
Fred Benton was assigned as a public defender in the Quentin Smith trial. Smith was convicted in the murder of two Westerville police officers: Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering.
Benton talked to 10TV's Lacey Crisp and said he has the credentials to be a part of this board.
"I’ll bring my credentials, which I think have some merit to a question in dealing with law enforcement and how law enforcement works and how law enforcement has an impact on the community.”
10TV will continue to dig and find out more about people assigned to this workgroup