YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — A former Canfield schools superintendent is objecting to a decision by a magistrate in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to dismiss a lawsuit he filed against Canfield police for what he termed defamation.
Lawyers for Alex Geordan filed their objection Monday to a May 9 ruling by Magistrate James Melone dismissing Geordan’s lawsuit against the department and Chief Charles Colucci for statements made by Colucci in 2019 that Geordan was covering up illegal activities of students.
Geordan left his position as superintendent Jan. 1, 2020.
He resigned after claims he downplayed a threat to a student. He filed his lawsuit in July of 2020.
Geordan sued after Colucci told City Council that an investigation of the threat by the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office found that he was not truthful and evasive.
Melone said in his ruling that Colucci gave a public explanation of a public investigation and was in his rights to do so because the case was of great interest to the public.
Melone said he found that Geordan offered no evidence that Colucci or the department had defamed him and he awarded their motion for summary judgment.