Springfield panel: victims face practical barriers to prosecuting domestic violence; agencies coordinate to pursue cases with and without victim testimony

City of Springfield officials and local criminal justice partners told the Springfield City Commission in a work session that victims of domestic violence often face practical barriers that make participation in the court process unsafe or impossible, and that prosecutors and law enforcement are increasingly trying to move cases forward with and without victim testimony when necessary.

The presentation, given to the commission by Jill Allen, the city law director, Sergeant Denise Jones of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Erin McNenny, chief prosecutor for the City of Springfield, Rebecca Sedat, a prosecutor who handles felony domestic violence cases, and Lauren Dennis, a supervisor advocate with the Clark County victim‑witness division and formerly with Project Woman, described a multi‑agency approach to gender‑based violence that county and city leaders said they had not previously seen.

Why it matters: Panelists said domestic violence cases differ from other crimes because victims often share lives, finances and children with offenders, and that asking victims to participate in the criminal process can increase danger and economic harm. Officials described new operational steps — coordinated follow‑up, advocate involvement at the scene, use of body‑worn camera and jail‑call evidence, and targeted training — intended to keep victims safe while holding repeat and high‑risk offenders accountable.

Sergeant Denise Jones, who runs the Sheriff’s Office intimate‑partner crime unit, said officers and prosecutors must account for the relationship dynamics between victims and offenders. "We hyperfocus on putting a lot of the onus on victims. I need a victim to participate. I don't understand why the victim doesn't wanna come in and talk to me," she said, adding that many victims are groomed into relationships and often try to leave seven to nine times before they separate for good. Jones described the sheriff’s 2017 partnership with Project Woman, which places community‑based advocates at the scene and provides victims privileged, confidential advocacy separate from law enforcement.

Erin McNenny, chief prosecutor for the City of Springfield, described the municipal court process for misdemeanor filings and how her office seeks evidence and victim contact before deciding whether to proceed. "We give them a rights sheet on Marcy's Law," McNenny said, referring to the Ohio constitutional victims' bill of rights the office provides to victims along with contact information for a single victim‑advocate point of contact. She said the office has been working to make participation less burdensome — by allowing victims to appear by phone when possible and centralizing advocacy contacts so victims do not have to repeat their story to multiple staff members.

Rebecca Sedat, who handles felony domestic violence and related charges, told the commission that most felony cases in the county begin with a municipal filing: "99% of them start in municipal court," she said, explaining that cases are often dismissed in municipal dockets when the felony is transferred to common pleas court after indictment. Sedat also said Ohio's recent standalone strangulation statute has produced an increase in felony filings because strangulation is now a felony offense.

Advocates and prosecutors described the evidence options they use when a victim does not or cannot testify: 911 recordings, body‑worn camera footage, jail calls, admissions to officers, and social media posts. Panelists emphasized cross‑agency training to fill gaps such as hearsay exceptions and described regular meetings that identify repeat, high‑risk offenders for coordinated follow‑up. "We are all working together collectively to address these cases," Jones said, noting countywide training this year and monthly coordination among agencies.

Residents who spoke during the public comment period urged more transparency and accountability. Resident Beth Donahue, who said she is a long‑term survivor, told commissioners she was "livid" about public commentary on the subject and pressed for openness in reporting and data. Resident Melissa Rex Lopez gave a detailed account of a past protection order denial and criticized local court responses she encountered. Other speakers, including Kevin Bowser and Jimmy Stewart, urged the commission and justice agencies to address what they described as repeat offenders and to provide clearer local statistics on case dispositions, dismissals and re‑filings.

Panelists acknowledged limitations in local data collection. McNenny and Jones said offices track different elements — some operational metrics and VOCA‑grant service logs — but that municipal court dockets alone can be misleading because dismissals may reflect case transfer to felony court rather than case closure. Jones estimated the sheriff’s office receives 650 to 750 calls for intimate‑partner violence annually in the county and described advocacy staffing levels: "There are three of us" in the county prosecutor's office advocacy team, and community partners such as Project Woman "run about six," Lauren Dennis said; City Lookout had one advocate assigned, the panel reported.

No formal action was taken at the work session. Panelists and commissioners said the point of the briefing was to increase understanding and to support continued interagency coordination, training, and efforts to connect victims with services beyond the criminal justice system, including housing, childcare and mental‑health resources.

Looking ahead: panelists said they will continue monthly coordination meetings, roll out the countywide domestic violence training planned for this year and seek funding to embed advocates earlier in the municipal process; a planned joint federal grant application to place advocates in municipal court is on hold pending federal funding availability.