Lake County Common Pleas Judge Candidate John P. O'Donnell receives the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 116

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio, Nov. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Lake County Common Pleas Judge Candidate John P. O'Donnell has received the unanimous endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 116 in Lake County after the Lodge members met with, and interviewed, both candidates.  O'Donnell is currently the Chief Assistant Prosecutor at the Lake County Prosecutor's Office, a position he has held since October, 2011. In that capacity, he was part of the prosecution team that convicted Kevin Knoefel, the Willoughby Hills man who conspired with his foster daughter to murder his wife in November, 2012. 

O'Donnell has a long history of prosecuting criminal defendants in Lake County.  From January, 1989 through September, 1991 he was a criminal felony prosecutor working for Steven C. LaTourette, who later became the 9 term Representative in the United States Congress.  While working for LaTourette, O'Donnell successfully prosecuted three murder trials.  He left the prosecutor's office in 1991 for a private practice, which he maintains to this date.  In the 20 year gap between service with the Lake County Prosecutor's Office, O'Donnell was assigned as a Special Lake County Prosecutor from 1991 to 2011.  He was assigned to independently prosecute criminal felony cases for the Lake County Prosecutor when a conflict existed with the County Prosecutor's Office.  O'Donnell prosecuted in excess of 100 cases as a Special Prosecuting Attorney for Lake County.  In addition, he was appointed as a Special Prosecutor for the City of Mentor as well as the City of Euclid.  

O'Donnell is currently a Councilman in the City of Willowick, having been appointed to fill a vacant seat in January, 2013.  This is O'Donnell's second stint serving on Willowick Council.  In November 1993, he was elected to the first of six consecutive two year terms on Council.  He resigned as a Council member in August, 2005 to accept the appointment as the City of Willowick Law Director, a position which he held until October, 2011. From 2004 through 2008 O'Donnell served as the Prosecutor for the Village of Grand River where he prosecuted felony and misdemeanor cases on behalf of the village in the Painesville Municipal Court. 

Due to his vast experience in supporting law enforcement throughout his career, the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 116 in Lake County unanimously endorsed O'Donnell for the position of Judge of the Lake County Court of Common Pleas in the November 4, 2014 election.    

SOURCE Committee to Elect John P. O'Donnell