We were then directed to the Cuyahoga County grand jury office. Wednesday morning, a clerk there told Scene that the "mysterious document" may or may not exist and that, even if it does, it could only be provided to us via court order by Administrative and Presiding Judge John J. Russo. And even with a court order, the clerk said, she might not be able to hand it over.
Russo, who spoke to Scene by phone, professed to be as confused as we were. "When you say 'document,' I'm not sure what you mean. I don't know what that is. It's either a true bill or a no bill," he said.
But actually, no.
His staff determined Wednesday that a “no-bill” had never been filed. Russo said he had a "judges meeting" Wednesday afternoon, at which he intended to seek clarification from Judge Nancy McDonnell about what precisely was filed.
We’re awaiting word both on the content of that discussion and the subsequent question of a court order that would pry loose the mysterious document.
Reached Tuesday, Subodh Chandra, the local attorney for the Rice family, said that the whole process has been "irregular.” He said he and his team had asked the county if the grand jury members were led through each possible charge for a vote or whether there was one overarching vote on all charges, but never received an answer. When informed no vote of any kind took place, Chandra said: "If it is true that the prosecutor didn't even call for an up or down vote on potential criminal charges, including aggravated murder, then it is truly the ultimate insult to the Rice family,” Chandra said, “that the prosecutor didn't even think it mattered to bring the grand jury proceedings to their proper conclusion."
