BY The Associated Press
It has cost taxpayers at least $109,000 for the state's investigation into whether a reporter fired by The Cincinnati Enquirer stole voice mail from the Chiquita banana company.
Hamilton County billing records show most of the money was spent in June and July on wages for special prosecutor Perry Ancona, three assistant prosecutors and two investigators, The Cincinnati Post reported Thursday.
On May 3, the Enquirer published 18 pages of stories questioning the business practices of Chiquita Brands International Inc., the world's largest banana company. On June 28, the newspaper published a front-page apology saying it had renounced the series, agreed to pay Chiquita more than $10 million to settle any claims, and fired lead reporter Mike Gallagher.
The Enquirer's management said it fired Mr. Gallagher in the belief that he may have stolen copies of voice-mail messages that were a basis for his reporting. Chiquita has sued Mr. Gallagher for alleged defamation.
The amount spent on the investigation so far represents more than half of the money in a county fund reserved each year for attorney and court fees. Because the fund is budgeted for only $210,000 this year, officials say they will soon tap into another general fund account.
Mr. Ancona was authorized to hire assistants and staff, is working under no deadline and with no cap on expenses, said Mike Walton, the common pleas court administrator. Judge Norbert Nadel must approve each payment.
Billing records show that Mr. Ancona, who is paid $200 an hour, has received $75,460 in attorney fees.
Mr. Ancona declined to comment Thursday.
He has hired three assistants -- lawyers Merlyn Shiverdecker, H. Fred Hoefle and Bernard Gilday -- at $150 an hour. Mr. Shiverdecker was paid $10,545 and Mr. Hoefle received $12,832 for work through July 17. Mr. Gilday was paid $6,149 for work from June 1 to June 20. The investigators, paid $65 an hour, received a total of $4,680.
Mr. Walton said it is impossible to predict the final cost of the investigation.
