Former state Rep. Bob Young found guilty on domestic violence charge, not guilty in assault

A judge found former state Rep. Bob Young guilty of domestic violence Thursday in Barberton Municipal Court, while clearing him of one count of assault involving a relative.

Young had a bench trial before Visiting Judge Edward O’Farrell Tuesday for incidents in July involving his wife and brother.

The judge said he found testimony from Young's daughter credible on the domestic violence charge and indicated he was bothered by Young's testimony that the teen was lying.

"I did not believe that [she] was a liar," O'Farrell said.

In acquitting Young of the assault charge, O'Farrell said the former legislator's actions did not warrant a guilty decision. The judge said he reviewed tape of the incident multiple times.

"I do not find on this record that you were an aggressor," he said.

Both charges were first-degree misdemeanors that are each punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Young, 42, was also charged with subsequent misdemeanors for allegedly having contact with his family members in violation of a temporary protection order.

A temporary protection order will remain in place, and a status conference will be held Nov. 16 regarding Young's charges of violating a protection order and menacing by stalking counts.

He will not be sentenced until those cases are resolved.

Young, a Republican from Green, resigned his House seat effective Oct. 2 under mounting political pressure. House Republicans are still in the process of picking his replacement, with the local party recommending New Franklin Councilman Jack Daniels.

Young and several of his family members testify in his trial

Young waived his right to a jury trial on the two original charges that landed him in trouble.

Young’s wife testified that he slapped her in the left side of the face after the two of them had an argument at their home in the early morning hours of July 7.

She said she didn’t want to call 911 because her husband scares her.

The wife said she saw a doctor and then a specialist for pain in her left ear after the incident.

The couple’s 16-year-old daughter corroborated her mother’s account. She can be heard on a surveillance video yelling an expletive at her father and then, “I seen you!”

The teen said she drove her mother and younger brother to her uncle’s nearby home.

Her uncle, who is Young’s brother, said Young came to his house later that morning. The brother said he met Young at the door, determined not to allow him inside. The two tussled and, in the process, the glass storm door was shattered, injuring both men.

“Do not come into my house!” the brother told Young in a Ring doorbell video.

“I’m here to see my wife,” Young said.

Young left, and his sister-in-law called sheriff’s deputies.

Young testified that he was the victim in both incidents. He said his wife slapped him, and his brother was the first to make contact in their scuffle.

When asked if that means his teen daughter is a liar, Young said, “Yes.”

Attorneys disagree about whether there’s sufficient evidence

Assistant City Prosecutor Jennifer Roberts noted in her closing argument the consistency in the testimony of Young’s family members during the trial.

“There is sufficient evidence that he did strike [his wife] and cause physical harm,” Roberts said.

In the second incident, Roberts said Young didn’t say anything as he approached his brother and lowered his shoulder, with the two of them then tussling and the storm door breaking.

“I don’t believe there’s any doubt of Robert Young attempting to cause physical harm,” Roberts said. “I ask the court to find him guilty of both counts.”

Mike Callahan, who represented Young with attorney John Greven, said in his closing argument that the state failed to prove that Young "caused or attempted to cause" physical harm to either his wife or his brother.

Callahan said Young’s wife and brother changed their accounts from when they first talked to deputies to when they testified, with their later versions more damning for Young.

“If you believe everything these people said, you will find him guilty,” Callahan said, referring to Young’s family members. “If you believe everything Bob said, you will find him not guilty. If you’re not sure, and the answer lies in between, and if you can’t decide which witnesses were telling the truth or the whole truth – that's reasonable doubt.”

Both Callahan and Greven declined to comment on the judge's decision Thursday.

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com, 330-996-3705 and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj. Reporter Alan Ashworth contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Former state Rep. Bob Young found guilt on domestic violence charge