Decision on early release postponed

Laura Lofgren

The woman involved in the death of Kent State student John White is asking to be let out of her six-month jail term early.

Hallie E. Nuspl’s attorney filed a motion Friday in Portage County Common Pleas Court for her early release after she already served 60 days of her sentence.

The motion was still awaiting a decision Monday after being postponed because Connie Sisco, Portage County Jail inmate services coordinator, was unable to attend because of a family emergency.

The motion states that Nuspl, 21, has complied with all court orders and maintained employment throughout her incarceration, which began Sept. 24. She was convicted of misdemeanor assault and lying to police in August for her involvement in the Jan. 23 assault of Kent State graduate student John T. White.

Judge Enlow sentenced Nuspl to six months in the Portage County jail. According to authorities and courtroom testimony, Nuspl and White got into a confrontation near the intersection of Water and Main streets. Nuspl slapped White, who was legally intoxicated. A friend of Nuspl’s, 21-year-old John H. Ragin, Jr., intervened and struck White, knocking him to the pavement and causing serious head trauma. White died Feb. 21 at Akron City Hospital after suffering a blood clot.

Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci brought up several occurrences of visitation from Nuspl’s mother and daughter at her place of work, Matrix Management Solutions. Unauthorized visitation is not allowed under the Work Release Program. Nuspl, along with her mother Patricia Nuspl, argued someone had to bring Nuspl food while she was at work.

“I consider it a chore on a daily basis,” Patricia said.

Patricia and her husband are the caretakers of Nuspl’s daughter. Patricia said she had to bring the 2-year-old with her to Nuspl’s workplace. They said they were never told they weren’t allowed and have never read a rule stating otherwise.

According to the Nov. 5 motion filed in the common pleas court, Nuspl lost her work privileges after allegedly returning to jail late one Saturday following work and alleged unauthorized visitations. Nuspl said she returned to jail in time, but jailers failed to sign her in until 18 minutes after her designated time of return. Nuspl argued she often sat in the waiting room for 15 minutes or more, waiting to be checked in.

During the hearing, Thomas Downing, director of finance and administration at Matrix Management Solutions in Uniontown, spoke on behalf of Nuspl. On Oct. 10, the day she reportedly returned late to the jail, Nuspl reported to work on time, 7:45 a.m., but clocked out late, 1:14 p.m.

Initially charged with felony obstruction and misdemeanor assault, Nuspl pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors in previous hearings.

Ragin was sentenced in September after pleading guilty in July to involuntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to three years in prison and is serving his term at the Lorain Correctional Institution in Grafton.

Contact Laura Lofgren at [email protected].