Dover mayor’s trial might be delayed
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (September 13, 2022) – The jury trial for longtime Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen might not take place as scheduled next week.
State Prosecutor Robert Smith is asking Judge Elizabeth Thomakos to delay the proceedings because one of his key witnesses has COVID.
Smith says the state forensic auditor is symptomatic and unavailable for the trial scheduled for Sept. 20. He says her testimony is essential.
Homrighausen is facing nine counts in a grand jury indictment. He’s accused of theft in office, a third-degree felony, among other counts. The State Auditor’s Office alleges he pocketed over 9-thousand-dollars in wedding fees. There are also nepotism charges related to his involvement with his son’s employment with the city.
Homrighausen has pleaded not guilty.
The potential witness list has grown to more than 20 people.
Homrighausen’s defense attorney’s recently filed list of nine witnesses includes Homrighausen’s wife, Linda, and both his sons, Peter and Nick. Also on the defense’s list, Zach Wallick, who unsuccessfully ran for Dover City Council President as a write-in candidate opposing Shane Gunnoe in 2021, and David Filippi, the now retired superintendent of the Dover Light and Power Plant, whom Gunnoe and City Council wanted fired before Homrighausen allowed his retirement.
The potential witness list had already included Dover’s law director, auditor, and Interim Mayor Gunnoe, and three employees Homrighausen tried to fire last year before City Council allowed them to stay on.