Judge removes himself from Greene County extortion case

GREENE COUNTY — The judge in the case of a Greene County political candidate charged with extortion is taking himself off the case and asking the Ohio Supreme Court to appoint an outside replacement.

Jocelyn Smith was a candidate for state representative who is now charged with a felony for statements she made during the campaign.

She said that if incumbent Rick Perales did not withdraw from the race she would release damaging evidence of the affair she says they had in 2015.

Judge Michael Buckwalter today asked the Ohio Supreme Court to name a new judge in the case since he knows Perales.

The initial court hearing in the case was originally set for tomorrow in the Greene County Common Pleas Court.

Instead, Buckwalter has granted a request from the defendant’s attorney to delay that hearing until July 20.

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