A Republican, Baden was paid about $37,000 a year as a commissioner, a
post he held since 2003.
Shyane, now 15, was present in the courtroom for the plea.
She sat with her mother, Deborah Miller, a 17-year-old brother, and a
19-year-old sister.
Ms. Miller appeared visibly upset when she left the courtroom with her
children.
She later said in an interview that she was disappointed with the plea
agreement because it likely would result in Baden not going to jail.
"He gets to walk and go free. He needs to go to the penitentiary. That
is exactly where he belongs," Ms. Miller said.
Shyane told authorities that she was with friends at Baden Street and
Walbridge Avenue when Baden drove around the block four or five times.
The victim went to her home, changed clothes, and later left to walk
to a friend's home.
As she was walking through the parking lot at Broadway Food Center,
Baden pulled up, got out of his car, chased her across South Avenue,
and called her to, "Come here little girl."
The girl ran to a friend's home and called police, providing
authorities with a description of Baden, his car, and the license
plate number on the vehicle.
Baden, a former mayor of Hamler, Ohio, where he resides with his wife
and two preschool-age sons, faces a sentence of six months to one year
in prison.
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/05/19/1657061.htm
May 19, 2006
Henry County official convicted, resigns post: Baden could receive
year in prison, $2,500 fine
(Blade, The (Toledo, OH) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) May 19--
After months of proclaiming innocence and refusing to step down as a
Henry County commissioner, Steven Baden yesterday entered into a plea
agreement and was convicted for chasing a then-14-year-old girl in
South Toledo and resigned his elected post.
Baden, 39, entered an Alford plea in Lucas County Common Pleas Court
to one count of attempted menacing by stalking, a fifth-degree felony.
Judge James Bates ordered a presentencing report and scheduled
sentencing for July 5.
Under state law, Baden cannot hold public office because he was
convicted of a felony offense.
In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but pleads guilty
to a lesser charge to escape more severe penalties had the case gone
to trial.
Baden was indicted in February on a single count of menacing by
stalking after the victim, Shyane Miller, identified him as the person
who stalked her on Jan. 31 in a parking lot on Broadway in South
Toledo.
In court, he made no comments regarding the allegations.
______________________________________________________
Ah well.
Harry
.
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