The prosecutor who gave Seahawks second-round draft pick Frank Clark a plea deal that allowed him to get off with a $250 fine on a domestic violence charge is facing criticism from the local police chief and others.
Sandusky, Ohio, prosecutor Lynne Gast-King claims she allowed Clark to plead down to disorderly conduct after he was originally charged with assault and domestic violence because she does not believe Clark struck the victim. But the police report says Clark punched the victim in the case and includes photographs with bruises on the victim consistent with such an attack. The local police chief, Ken Klamar, says he can’t understand why the prosecutor doubts the information in the police report.
“I disagree with her,” Klamar told the Sandusky Register. “I believe what was written [in the police report] is an accurate portrayal of what happened that night. . . . The professional work that we did was tremendous and similar to any other domestic violence incident we would handle. They were not mutual combatants. His strength versus her strength? His size versus her size? Without question, [Clark] was the aggressor in that incident, and I stand by the work. I stand by the decision to file charges of domestic violence and assault, and I don’t see it any other way.”
The Seahawks have faced scrutiny for picking Clark despite the domestic violence accusation, but General Manaager John Schneider says he does not believe Clark hit the victim. Schneider hasn’t said why he thinks the information in the police report is wrong.