Ravenstahl Grand Jury Expires Without Returning Indictments
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The proverbial parade of witnesses appeared before the grand jury.
Police officials, former bodyguards, a former girlfriend and even some unidentified people were questioned.
The grand jury heard from them all, but after sitting for 18 months, they went home Tuesday without handing down an indictment.
It would seem to indicate that the former mayor is in the clear, but former US Attorney J. Alan Johnson says there are actually two possibilities.
"One is that the investigation is concluded and the other is that the grand jury is not concluded," he said.
Johnson says current US Attorney David Hickton could decide to present new evidence to a new grand jury, even if some legal experts say that's unlikely.
The witnesses testified about a range of things, including bodyguard overtime, private work on the mayor's house, the award of valet parking concessions and even Ravenstahl's personal relationships.
In an interview with KDKA last year, Ravenstahl vented his anger.
"It's frustrating to go through, but I'm not concerned about any area this investigation has gone in, because, again, whether it's personal, political, governmental, I've done nothing wrong," he said.
But if it's over now, Hickton is not saying – nor is he required to.
"Sometime a US attorney will announce a decision and sometimes they won't," said Johnson. "But it's a secret body that hears evidence and makes a decision."
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