Prosecutors have dismissed the remaining charges against Antonio Williamson, a former Summit County Sheriff’s lieutenant who was acquitted of sexual assault but was still being prosecuted for misusing a law enforcement database.
Williamson was scheduled to go on trial later this month in Summit County Common Pleas Court. Instead, prosecutors dismissed the 10 felony charges he still faced “with prejudice,” which means they won’t be refiled, according to court records.
“It’s a good day,” said Ian Friedman, one of Williamson’s Cleveland attorneys.
Summit County prosecutors declined Tuesday to comment on the dismissal.
Williamson was to be tried separately on sexual assault and database charges
Williamson, 52, was acquitted by a jury in March 2020 on sexual assault charges. He was fired in April 2018 from the job he held at the sheriff’s office for 19 years.
Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands agreed that Williamson could be tried separately for the sexual assault and database misuse charges.
Williamson, though, asked Rowlands to dismiss the charges that he misused the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway (OHLEG) database. Williamson, who is Black, argued he was prosecuted when four white deputies were not.
Prosecutors said the white deputies’ database use involved a “legitimate law enforcement purpose.”
Friedman said Willamson’s use of the database also was “legitimate” and involved a search of his name.
Rowlands sided with Williamson, but the 9th District Court of Appeals overturned her decision last January.
Williamson’s trial on database charges was expected to last 10 days
Williamson’s bench trial was scheduled to begin May 18 before Rowlands and was expected to last up to 10 days.
Friedman planned to call former Sheriff Steve Barry and 40 deputies and ask them about how OHLEG use was handled in sheriff’s office when Williamson did his self-searches. The attorney said Williamson thought it was permissible for deputies to do such searches.
“A very high percentage of deputies were doing the same thing and, in some cases, far, far worse,” Friedman said. “It was a common practice that had never been an issue before.”
Friedman said Williamson’s case has prompted the sheriff’s office, which is now under the direction of Sheriff Kandy Fatheree, to reevaluate its OHLEG use.
Friedman credited Assistant Prosecutor Jonathan Baumoel for taking another look at the case against Williamson and deciding the charges should be dismissed.
“In this line of work, we tend to attack,” Friedman said. “It’s important to give credit when people do the right thing.”
Other lawsuits still pending
Williamson has two civil matters that were put on hold pending the outcome of his criminal case and will now go forward.
The woman who claimed Williamson had sexually assaulted her filed a lawsuit against Williamson in Summit County Common Pleas Court. Williams then filed a countersuit against the woman, accusing her of lying.
“The attacks on Antonio Williamson — they stop today,” Friedman said.
Williamson also has a pending federal lawsuit against the sheriff’s office and the city of Akron. He filed the suit in March 2021 in U.S. District Court in Akron, alleging discrimination and wrongful prosecution and termination. He is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.
Asked what his client wants to see happen — and if he’d like to return to working at the sheriff’s office — Friedman said Williamson has been dealing with this for six years and just found out he won’t be going to trial again.
“He’s trying to exhale and take it all in,” Friedman said. “It’s going to take some time to figure out how to get his life back together.”