Judge Suspended Without Pay After Conviction

The Ohio Supreme Court has suspended a southwest Ohio juvenile judge without pay after she was found guilty last week of a single felony count. A jury found Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Tracie Hunter guilty of unlawful interest in a public contract on Sept. 14 following a five-week trial. Jurors were unable to reach unanimous verdicts on eight other counts including tampering with evidence, forgery and theft in office. The Supreme Court had already disqualified Hunter from acting as a judge when she was indicted in January. The court on Tuesday announced Hunter's continued suspension, now without pay, in light of her conviction. Hunter's sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 2. Her attorney plans to appeal, while special prosecutors could decide to seek a new trial on the other charges.