It has been seven weeks since an assault in a Montgomery Inn parking lot went viral on social media and quickly turned into accusations of political cronyism.
The police investigation into the incident is still ongoing. No charges have been filed, and the special prosecutor handling the case has said little.
On June 22, Doug and Lois Morrow were knocked down in the parking lot of the Montgomery Inn Boathouse as a confrontation roared around them.
Speculation started when police documents confirmed the fight involved the family of Steve Raleigh, a WCPO weatherman and son-in-law of former prosecutor and sheriff Simon Leis Jr.
As time passed without charges, Prosecutor Melissa Powers faced criticism for not taking action, and Powers announced that a special prosecutor would be handling the case. Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve accepted the task at the end of July.
Since that point, there have been no further developments in the case. On Wednesday, Cincinnati police said the investigation was still ongoing, and officers were continuing to work with Tekulve’s office.
Tekulve has said he does not comment on ongoing cases and did not reply to a request for comment Wednesday.
There are several options for Tekulve. He could determine no crime was committed in June. He could file charges against one or more of the parties involved, or he could take the case before a grand jury to determine what, if any, charges will be filed.
The lawyers for both the Morrows and the Raleighs spoke to The Enquirer on Wednesday, and both said they had no new information on when the next step in the investigation would occur.
Jeff Brogan, WCPO vice president and general manager, said station leadership spoke to Raleigh about the incident and Raleigh’s statements were consistent with the police report. It appears Raleigh has been off the air since the news of the incident broke.
The Enquirer reached out to Brogan on Wednesday. He had not replied at the time of this report.
Last week, Stacie Morrow-Stickrod, the Morrow’s daughter, posted on Facebook that there have been few developments since the special prosecutor was appointed. She did say her family had met with Tekulve’s office and new depositions were taken.
“Have the physical injuries healed, yes. The injuries go much deeper than that. My mom is no longer the person she was that stepped in that truck that night,” she wrote. “I struggle every day to accept this and the injustice of this whole situation.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Steve Raleigh still off air; Investigation involving family continues
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