Court Empanels September 2022 Grand Juries
The Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court has impaneled three new grand juries. A grand jury consists of 14 citizens selected from the public. Each of the three panels meet twice a week for four months, on different days and times.
A Judge from the Common Pleas Court can appoint a foreperson for their grand jury or select one from the jury pool. For this session, Judge Nancy Margaret Russo selected Brandon Chrostowski, founder of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute in Shaker Heights. Judge Michael Russo’s foreperson is David Gustafson, a writer and photographer from the Larchmere neighborhood of Cleveland. Mr. Gustafson was selected from the grand jury pool. Judge John J. Russo selected Joe Marinucci as a foreperson. Marinucci served as President and CEO of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA) from 2006 until his retirement in 2021. The current grand juries will meet through the end of December.
During these proceedings, which are not open to the public by law, only the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office presents witnesses and evidence. The grand jury then decides if probable cause exists that a felony has been committed. If so, an indictment is returned and filed with the Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts, commencing formal criminal proceedings against the defendant.
Administrative and Presiding Judge Brendan Sheehan expressed his gratitude to the members of the outgoing grand juries for their diligence and dedication to the justice system.