EX-MAYOR OF MEDINA CAN'T PASS DRUG TEST

Fred Greenwood, 74, Fails Cocaine Screening. Bond Could Be Revoked

MEDINA: Former Medina Mayor Fred Greenwood failed a courtordered drug test
and could land in jail as a result.

A judge will decide today whether to revoke bond for Greenwood, 74, who is
awaiting trial on possession of crack cocaine stemming from a January
incident.

Medina County prosecutors say Greenwood, who served as mayor from 1966 to
1974, tested positive for cocaine use. The urine screen was given last
Friday. The results were released yesterday.

Greenwood was in Medina County Common Pleas Court last Friday, ready to
plead guilty to the drug possession charge in order to qualify for
enrollment in a probationary treatment program.

But Judge James L. Kimbler ordered a urine screen before allowing Greenwood
to enter his plea.

After learning that Greenwood told a probation officer that he was still
using crack cocaine, Greenwood's attorney, Jeffrey Largent, raised the
issue last Friday of whether Greenwood was competent to stand trial.

Kimbler then ordered Greenwood to be evaluated by the Psychodiagnostic
Clinic in Summit County. The court should have the results of the testing
in about six weeks.

Greenwood's legal problems started last January, when he was arrested at
his Leisure Lane apartment after agents of the Medina County Drug Task
Force went to his home looking for an Akron man who was said to be a house
guest. The man, David M. Conley of Arch Street, was being sought by police
on a drug possession warrant.

After the search, Greenwood was charged with drug possession based on the
amount of crack cocaine residue found in several crack pipes in the
apartment.

In November, Medina County Common Pleas Judge James L. Kimbler gave
Greenwood the opportunity to receive treatment in lieu of conviction.
Instead of serving any jail time, Greenwood would attend drug counseling
and remain on probation for three years. He would also be required to
undergo weekly drug tests.

Ohio law allows some nonviolent first-time offenders to enter drug
treatment rather than face imprisonment, but the program requires a guilty
plea.

Kimbler allowed Greenwood to remain free on bond until he entered a plea.
But one condition of that bond was to allow random drug testing. Judge
Kimbler ordered the drug test at Greenwood's hearing last Friday.

Greenwood and his attorney could not be reached for comment yesterday.