Wednesday, July 12, 2006

07122006 - Deputy Mayor Rick Csapo - Traverse City







Traverse City Deputy Mayor / Commissioner Rick Csapo [left] at his trial for domestic violence charges.


JULY 12, 2006: VIOLATION OF NO-CONTACT ORDER.

On July 05, 2006, Deputy Mayor Rick Caspo [Traverse City] was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence [June 23, 2006 incident]. The Court issued a no-contact order. On July 12th, Caspo violated that order and was jailed.

During a December 2006 trial, Csapo was found guilty of the domestic violence charge.




ALSO SEE:
June 23, 2006: Traverse City Deputy Mayor/Former Sheriff Deputy Ricky Csapo. Domestic violence charges. 












Conversation lands Csapo in jail
Chat with wife apparently violated court order
Traverse City Record Eagle, MI
07/13/2006
BY IAN C. STOREY
http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/jul/13csapo.htm

TRAVERSE CITY — A conversation between Ricky Csapo and the woman he is charged with assaulting landed the Traverse City mayor pro tem behind bars for violating a court order.

Csapo, 52, was led to the Grand Traverse County Jail in handcuffs Wednesday after 86th District Court Judge Thomas Phillips ruled Csapo violated a no-contact order with his wife, Cynthia Csapo, before he was scheduled to meet with special assistant state attorney general Erin House.

House requested a hearing Wednesday after several court employees alerted her to the contact between the Csapos, a violation of an order issued by Phillips last week.

Phillips ruled after an hour-long special hearing that there was enough evidence to revoke Ricky Csapo's bond and sent him to jail until Friday morning.

Cynthia Csapo testified under oath that she had no direct contact with her husband, that she was instead talking through a friend who accompanied her to the courthouse.

"The court had a hard time believing that today," Phillips said of her testimony.

Ricky Csapo was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence after he allegedly assaulted his wife during an argument June 23 on West Front Street in downtown Traverse City.

Witnesses told police Csapo and his wife argued along West Front Street and Csapo allegedly forced the back of her head into a large plate glass window.

House called several court employees, including herself, to testify during the hearing before Phillips.

"It appears clear to me that it was a blatant violation, chit-chatting with his wife in the hallway as if the order didn't apply to him," she told Phillips.

One of the witnesses, Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Lt. Bryan Marrow, said he was at the courthouse to post legal notices when he saw the couple talking.

"It was obvious they were speaking," he said.

Defense attorney Clarence Gomery argued during the hearing that the contact was "incidental" and said the Csapos maintain separate residences and haven't had any other contact since the original court order.

"We are here about the victim," said Gomery. "What (witnesses) saw and believe they saw isn't what happened."

Csapo is a retired Grand Traverse County sheriff's deputy who was elected to the city commission in 2001. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and told the Record-Eagle the incident was a "misunderstanding of the facts."

Csapo wasn't arrested that evening nor required to submit to tests to determine whether he'd consumed alcohol, despite witness statements that he was inebriated.

Both Traverse City police Capt. Steve Morgan and another officer reported Csapo was profane and appeared "highly intoxicated."

But Morgan "concluded" there wasn't enough evidence at the scene to merit an arrest and allowed Csapo and his wife to walk home, according to his report.

House testified Wednesday that she saw the Csapos talking repeatedly in the district court lobby while she was conducting pre-trial hearings nearby.

"They were engaged in a conversation, which seemed to be light-hearted," she said.

Gomery asked House what exactly she had heard.

"You don't know who was saying what or what was being said?" Gomery asked House on cross-examination.

But Phillips said the testimony of the witnesses made it clear that the contact was not "incidental" and, though it did not appear threatening, was still a violation of his order.

"Occasionally, incidental contact we overlook," he said. "It happens. This was beyond incidental contact."













Csapo jailed after violating order
Traverse City Record Eagle, MI
Jul 12, 2006
07/12/2006
Breaking News: 12:32 p.m
BY IAN C. STOREY
http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/jul/12csapo.htm

TRAVERSE CITY — City commissioner Ricky Csapo was jailed Wednesday after a district judge ruled the mayor pro-tem violated a non-contact order with his wife, whom he is charged with assaulting.

Csapo, 52, was led to the Grand Traverse County Jail in handcuffs after 86th District Court Judge Thomas Phillips ruled Csapo violated a no-contact order with his wife, Cynthia Csapo, as he awaited a pre-trial hearing with assistant state attorney general Erin House.

"This was beyond incidental contact," ruled Phillips, who revoked Ricky Csapo's bond and sent him to jail until Friday morning.

Csapo was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence after he allegedly assaulted Cynthia Csapo during an argument June 23 on West Front Street in downtown Traverse City.

Witnesses told police Csapo and his wife argued along West Front Street and Csapo allegedly forced the back of her head into a large plate glass window.

House requested the hearing Wednesday after several court employees alerted her to the contact between the Csapos, which violated an order issued by Phillips last week.

"It appears clear to me that it was a blatant violation, chit-chatting with his wife in the hallway as if the order didn't apply to him," House told Phillips during the hearing.

House called several court employees, including herself, to testify during the hour-long hearing before Phillips.

One witness, Lt. Bryan Marrow of the Grand Traverse County sheriff's office, said he was at the courthouse to post legal notices in circuit court when he saw the couple talking.

"It was obvious they were speaking," he said.

Csapo is a retired Grand Traverse sheriff's deputy who was elected to the city commission in 2001. He pleaded not guilty to the charge, which he told the Record-Eagle was a "misunderstanding of the facts."

Defense attorney Clarence Gomery argued during the hearing that the contact was "incidental" and said the couple hasn't had any other contact.

"It was a couple of words back and forth," he said.








 
 
 
 
 
 
Csapo pleads not guilty
No contact with wife ordered
Traverse City Record-Eagle
BY IAN C. STOREY
07/05/2006
Mid-Day Update: 12:15 p.m.
http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/jul/05csapo.htm

TRAVERSE CITY — City commissioner Ricky Csapo must submit to daily breath tests, not consume alcohol and have no contact with his wife after being charged with domestic violence.

Csapo, 52, pleaded not guilty today to a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence following a June 23 incident in downtown Traverse City.

Witnesses told police Csapo and his wife argued along West Front Street and Csapo allegedly forced the back of her head into a large plate glass window.

During Csapo's arraignment today defense attorney Clarence Gomery asked 86th District Court Judge Thomas Phillips to remove an order prohibiting Csapo from having contact with his wife.

After reviewing police reports, Phillips asked to hear from Csapo's wife.

"He never assaulted or hurt or hit me, ever," she told Phillips, but assistant state attorney general Erin House said a "number of witnesses" allege Csapo's wife attempted to run away and urged them to call 911.

But House told Phillips of the existence of past allegations against Csapo.

"There have been police interventions between him and a former spouse," House said.

Phillips denied Gomery's request to drop the no-contact requirement.

"We take this very seriously," Phillips said. "I will continue the no-contact provision until we have no fear for the safety of the alleged victim."

Csapo is a retired Grand Traverse County sheriff's deputy. He was elected to the city commission in 2001, and last week said the alleged incident was a "misunderstanding of the facts."

Csapo wasn't arrested that evening, nor required to submit to tests to determine whether he'd consumed alcohol, despite witness statements that he was inebriated.

Both Traverse City police Capt. Steve Morgan and another officer reported Csapo appeared "highly intoxicated."

But Morgan "concluded" there wasn't enough evidence at the scene to merit an arrest and allowed Csapo and his wife to "continue their walk home," according to his report.

Police Chief Michael Warren said Csapo's political position didn't influence the decision. State police are now leading the investigation.

"There was a warrant issued for his arrest," Warren said. "If he had all kinds of influence, then maybe he wouldn't have been charged. We don't play the game that way."

"The only time we test is if there is a driver involved, underage drinking or to determine there is a medical issue because the person could be so highly intoxicated," said Warren.

Warren said he wouldn't review Morgan's decision not to arrest Csapo.

"I am very satisfied with the decision he made," he said.

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