Longtime chief deputy prosecutor Mark Piepmeier was sworn in as interim Hamilton County prosecutor Saturday morning, a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office said.
Piepmeier's elevation to the role comes after Joe Deters, who's served as prosecutor since 2005, was appointed by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to fill a vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court. His last day in office was Friday.
A more than 40-year veteran assistant prosecutor with the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office, Piepmeier will serve as prosecutor only until a permanent replacement is chosen by the Hamilton County Republican Party.
Sources in the county Republican Party with knowledge of the choice told The Enquirer earlier this week that former Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge and assistant county prosecutor Melissa Powers will be Hamilton County's next prosecutor, though that choice isn't official just yet.
The vote on Deters' replacement is tentatively set for Jan. 19.
Piepmeier joined the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office in 1981. He's prosecuted over 200 murder cases, including capital murder cases, and serial killers Alton Coleman, Joseph Paul Franklin, Anthony Kirkland and Samuel Little.
He was also appointed as lead special prosecutor for the 1993 Lucasville prison riot in Scioto County and was assigned to the Cincinnati Police Department to supervise the investigation and prosecution of police shootings and excessive use of force cases.
Source link
