NEWS

Former Bellville cop takes case to officials

Mark Caudill
Reporter

MANSFIELD – Frustrated by what he sees as a lack of progress in his case, former Bellville police officer Maurice King III is reaching out to public officials.

In December 2008, King was convicted at the end of a second trial on seven counts, including four felonies, for trying to buy reportedly stolen guns from two felons acting as informants. He spent 22 months in prison.

The first trial ended in a hung jury.

King attended Tuesday's meeting of the county commissioners, bringing with him a tape of what he claims is one of the informants admitting he lied about King's case.

Eric Bosko was the lead investigator while he was a Mansfield police detective. In the summer of 2013, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced in a letter that it would not take any more cases handled by Bosko, saying he could be deliberately untruthful and evasive. Bosko has since retired as a captain for the Richland County Sheriff's Office.

The U.S. attorney's letter referred to a specific case. Cassie Mayer, King's attorney, previously confirmed the case was her client's.

Attempts to reach Bosko were unsuccessful.

King told commissioners he encountered Tommy Thompson, one of the informants who testified against him, at a recent estate sale.

King recorded their conversation. He played a snippet of the tape and gave commissioners a disc and a transcript.

"(Thompson) basically said that he lied. Bosko forced him to lie," King said.

The News Journal does not have independent verification that the voice on King's tape is Thompson. Thompson declined a News Journal request for an interview.

King appealed to commissioners because he said the prosecutor's office will not accept the recorded conversation from him. Prosecutor Bambi Couch Page has said Thompson has credibility issues. He is under indictment on a number of theft charges and is in jail.

In late 2013, the prosecutor's office agreed to take another look at King's case.

"We don't get involved in this kind of situation very often," former prosecutor James Mayer Jr. said last summer. "It was definitely because of irregularities in the proceedings, pointed out by Maurice King's attorneys and some pointed out by the U.S. Attorney's Office."

The case has since stalled. King's ultimate goal is to clear his name.

Commissioner Marilyn John said she is aware of King's case.

"I feel for you," she said.

John told King that commissioners do not oversee the prosecutor's office.

"(Couch Page) does not have to justify her job to us other than a budget," John said.

Commissioner Gary Utt said he appreciated King's candor. Commissioner Tim Wert added that the board would take the case under advisement.

King took his case before the Mansfield City Council on Tuesday evening. He again handed out packets and played part of the recorded conversation.

King urged the council to do whatever it could, pointing out that his case started with the city police department.

"If the citizens know something was done wrong, they need to feel that their elected officials will make it right," he said.

No one on the council asked any questions of King.

After the commissioners' meeting, the former cop explained his motivation.

"I'm just trying to keep this alive until it's made right," King said. "I'd love the jurors to hear this new information."

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

Twitter: @MNJCaudill