Ohio Judge Improperly Released Inmate, Ethics Complaint Alleges

A judge in Dayton, Ohio, faces a complaint from state disciplinary authorities for allegedly letting a man out of prison early after repeatedly discussing the case privately with the inmate’s mother over more than a year.

Montgomery County Common Pleas Richard S. Skelton let the inmate out and personally escorted him out of the courthouse to his waiting family following the proceeding, according to a complaint filed Friday by the state Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Skelton, who’s been on the bench since 2015, faces discipline after two other judges caught wind of the circumstances surrounding the inmate’s release and filed ...