Inside the Bobby George domestic violence case plea deal

In August 2024, the city of Cleveland raised allegations against Cleveland and Columbus business owner Bobby George, including charges of attempted murder, rape, strangulation, kidnapping and felonious assault. More than a year later, on Nov. 3, that case was resolved when George pleaded guilty to attempted strangulation of a woman he was dating at the time.

The case was handled by a special prosecutor from Jefferson county, Jane Hanlin, who was assigned the case after Cuyahoga County prosecutor Michael O'Malley recused himself to avoid the appearance of a conflict because he had accepted campaign donations from the George family.

The difference between the initial charges presented and the final plea deal George entered into have raised questions about whether he was overcharged to begin with, or received a lenient deal due to wealth and influence. On Wednesday's "Sound of Ideas," we'll examine the case with the special prosecutor who handled it.

We invited George's defense attorneys, Kevin Spellacy and Diane Menashe, to take part in the conversation, but they didn't return our requests for interviews.

Guests:
- Jane Hanlin, special prosecutor on the Bobby George case
- Retired judge Michael Donnelly, former Ohio Supreme Court Justice and adjunct professor for Cleveland State University School of Law
- Terry Gilbert, Criminal defense attorney

If you or someone you know is in need of support, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached by phone at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), by texting "START" to 88788, and online at thehotline.org.