WARREN

Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins is renewing his call for a civil commitment law in Ohio, citing the recent release of a man convicted in a 1985 murder.

Watkins' office released a statement calling for legislation that would allow for the civil confinement of "sexually violent predators" after they have completed their prison sentences. While criminal commitment is a part of the criminal justice system and is tied to a specific criminal act, civil commitment is a non-criminal proceeding focused on treatment and public safety.

The prosecutor’s plea follows the Aug. 20 release of Scott Grant, 58, who served four decades for the murder of 17-year-old Michelle Hayes in Lake County.

According to a news release from the prosecutor's office, Grant and another man were convicte

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