This Spring Training seminar will have an assortment of topics for both the seasoned and new prosecutor. Starting out on Thursday we will have an update on human trafficking trends, new laws, and prevention; a tutorial on the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway system; a presentation on how to handle the media; and an overview from Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn on starting a Vivitrol program in your county. On Friday we will have Cliff Strider from Louisiana back to talk about voir dire and jury selection; a presentation on the addiction and pharmacology behind opioids; and Phil Bogdanoff with a presentation regarding police use of deadly force.

Thursday, April 14th

9:00 - 10:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast

10:00 - 11:00 Modern Day Slavery: Human Trafficking and the Law.
Discussion will include an overview of human trafficking, including statistics, risk factors, victim identification, responsible reporting, as well as forms of trafficking and prostitution. Human trafficking laws such as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to the more recent Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 will be discussed, along with two case studies.
Dr. Celia Williamson
Professor of Social Work and
Emily Dunlap, Esq., Staff Attorney
Both from the University of Toledo

11:00 - 11:15 Break

11:15 -12:15 Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway (OHLEG); System Overview, Tutorial, and Legal Ramifications of Misuse.
OHLEG is a versatile and easy to use tool providing access to law enforcement data of value to prosecutors and their staffs. This session will introduce the attendee to the purpose and value of the tool and the most commonly used attributes. We will also discuss OHLEG misuse as it pertains to potential users in the audience and also considerations for prosecution of OHLEG misuse cases. The process for dissemin- ation of OHLEG in response to a motion for discovery will also be covered during this presentation.
Joseph R. Dietz, Director
BCI Investigative Services/OHLEG
Office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine
London, Ohio

12:15 - 1:15 Lunch

1:15 - 2:15 Crisis Communications for Prosecutors
In these days of 24/7 instant news and social media, prosecutors simply cannot wait until a legal decision is rendered before updating the press, especially in high profile cases. They must be prepared to vigorously defend their situation in the court of public opinion. This presentation will include: Establishing & maintaining “control of the message”; when a reporter calls – making points and not just answering questions; what reporters expect; what prosecutors should expect; defining and creating key messages; reporter’s agenda vs. the attorney’s agenda; dealing with the press proactively and reactively; “off the record, not for attribution” and other advanced techniques.
Bruce Hennes, Managing Partner
Hennes Communication
Cleveland, Ohio

2:15 - 2:30 Break

2:30 - 3:30 Crisis Communications for Prosecutors continues...

3:30 - 5:00 A Prosecutor Based Vivitrol Program: Changing a Culture.
Vivitrol (naltrexone) blocks the effects of opioid medication, including pain relief or feelings of well-being that can lead to opioid abuse. It is used to prevent relapse in people who became dependent on opioid medicine and then stopped using it. Vivitrol is also used to treat alcoholism by reducing your urge to drink alcohol. This session will outline the Athens County Vivitrol (naltrexone) program and the steps needed to set up a program, the pitfalls, and the success stories.
Keller J. Blackburn, Prosecutor
Elizabeth Pepper, Assistant Prosecutor
Reuben Kittle, Diversion Director
All of Athens County and
Tracy Morrison, Alkermes Pharmaceuticals

Friday, April 15th

8:00 - 9:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 Jury Selection: Legal Issues and Persuasive Techniques.
This presentation will focus on voir dire and the jury selection process. A proper result in any jury trial requires a good presentation on voir dire. This presentation will include not only the selection of right thinking Americans for the jury, but also the process by which we select these jurors. The jurors must be screened to determine their fitness as a juror in the particular case, but they must be prepared for the defense voir dire. A good prosecutor will argue the case in voir dire, without drawing objections, and focus the jury on the case.
Clifford R. Strider, III
Assistant Attorney General
Louisiana Department of Justice
Office of The Attorney General
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

10:00 - 10:15 Break

10:15 - 11:15 Jury Selection: Legal Issues and Persuasive Techniques continues...

11:15 - 12:15 The Prescription Opioid Analgesics and the Heroin Epidemic
A review of the current opioid (heroin) epidemic and the challenges presented to enforcement efforts. Included will be a discussion of the drugs commonly prescribed and abused, their effects and detection and challenges to criminal prosecution.
Dr. Robert B. Forney, Jr., Ph.D.
Chief Toxicologist
Office of the Lucas County Coroner
Toledo, Ohio

12:15 - 1:15 Lunch

1:15 - 2:45 The Police Use of Deadly Force
The police use of deadly force is a hot topic in the national news. A prosecutor’s decision on whether to charge a police officer with murder can be a decision subject to national scrutiny. We will review recent Supreme Court and Ohio case law regarding the police use of deadly force and recent high publicity cases involving the police use of deadly force. We will also discuss whether to seek a special prosecutor in these cases and whether a prosecutor should present these cases to the grand jury. The goal of the seminar is to educate prosecutors on the problems inherent in these cases and to form a consensus on how these cases should be prosecuted.
Philip D. Bogdanoff
Retired Career Prosecutor
Copley, Ohio

We have requested 10.0 hours of general CLE from the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education

The room rate at the Sheraton Columbus Hotel at Capitol Square is $139.00 for single or double occupancy. Room reservations may be made by phone at 800-325-3535; or online at https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/OPAA2016SpringTraining. If you choose the online option, be aware that you can only book three (3) rooms at a time. WHICHEVER METHOD YOU USE, PLEASE MAKE MULTIPLE RESERVATIONS USING INDIVIDUAL NAMES, AND GET INDIVIDUAL CONFIRMATION NUMBERS, RATHER THAN MAKING ALL RESERVATIONS IN THE SAME NAME AND SAME CONFIRMATION NUMBER. Some counties have had disastrous results when canceling a reservation that was made under a single name and a single confirmation number for multiple persons. Be sure to tell the Sheraton you are with OPAA to obtain our rate. To avoid paying tax, accommodations must be paid for with either an office check or office credit card. Personal payment, even though it will be reimbursed by the office, is not tax exempt by state law. The cut-off date for our block of rooms is Tuesday, March 29th. To avoid being charged a penalty in the event that a room reservation must be cancelled, the Sheraton requires that the cancellation be made by 4:00 p.m. the day of arrival. Hotel check-in time is 3:00 p.m., and check-out time is 12:00 noon. Early check in and late check out are based on availability.

Our contract with the Sheraton anticipates that attendees will pay the above rate of $139.00 for sleeping rooms. Attendees SHOULD NOT request the government rate as it violates the spirit, if not the letter, of our agreement.

The registration fees for OPAA members are $250.00 for both days, and $150.00 for one day only. Registration fees for non-members are $500.00 and $300.00. These fees cover all handout materials, continental breakfasts, breaks, and lunches on both days. To help defray the cost of food guarantees, cancellations after April 8th will be assessed a $100.00 penalty if scheduled to attend both days, and a $60.00 penalty if scheduled for one day only. Please send registrations to OPAA by April 8th.

OPAA is now providing all course materials in electronic format. Approximately 48 hours prior to the course date seminar registrants will receive an email that will include a link to a PDF of the course materials. Since reliable wi-fi access at meeting facilities can’t be guaranteed, we encourage registrants to download the materials to electronic media, or print form, for use during the seminar.

If any person registering has special dietary needs,
it is important that they contact Delores at 614-221-1266,
so that advance arrangements can be made with the hotel.