Hearing on former Lorain City Council candidate's civil stalking protection order is continued

A Lorain County Common Pleas magistrate on Friday postponed a hearing on a civil stalking protection order that a Lorain city official was granted against a former City Council candidate. Magistrate Laura Dezort ordered the hearing continued until criminal charges against Aaron Knapp are resolved. She did not immediately schedule a date for another hearing. Knapp, 52, of Talbot Lane, is charged in Lorain Municipal Court with three counts of telecommunications harassment and one count each of violating a protection order, possession of criminal tools and disturbing a lawful meeting. He pleaded not guilty and is free on bond. Dezort granted Lorain Safety/Service Director Rey Carrion a civil stalking protection order against Knapp on March 12. One of the criminal charges Knapp faces is related to that order, she said, so anything Knapp says in court could be used against him. "The court finds that a stay should be granted because otherwise Mr. Knapp will not have an opportunity to fully testify or present his side of the protection order case freely without being in fear of the consequences of a criminal matter," Dezort said. Knapp is under orders to stay at least 500 feet away from Carrion, his workplace, home, business or school. He may attend city meetings, but must sit in the last row of the public gallery in City Council chambers. Knapp is a former Republican candidate for Lorain City Council's 6th Ward. A separate hearing in Knapp's fight to overturn his ban from city property is Tuesday in Judge Chris Cook's courtroom.