BY ADAM WEINTRAUB
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The saga of Sylvia Stayton, Cincinnati's so-called Parking Meter Grandmother, began a new chapter Monday as a judge fined her $500 for obstructing official business and she vowed to appeal.

The sentencing ended as the trial did - with Mrs. Stayton insisting that she fought the case because she had done nothing wrong, and prosecutors arguing that it could have been resolved if the defendant and her attorney hadn't been playing to the media spotlight.

''They could have pleaded to a parking meter violation in December'' and paid a small fine, said Ernest McAdams Jr., chief assistant city prosecutor. ''She wanted the TV cameras. She wanted the trip to New York (for a television appearance).''

Mrs. Stayton's attorney, David Scacchetti, said the notion that Mrs. Stayton fought the charges ''simply to get 'face time' ... is ludicrous.''

Mrs. Stayton, of Clifton, said she wasn't trying to defy Cincinnati Police Officer Edward Johnson when she put 15 cents into two expired parking meters in Corryville on Oct. 24 - she was only trying to do a good deed. The 63-year-old mother of four said she didn't accept the offer to plead guilty to ''remetering'' because she didn't commit that crime, and she didn't want to have a criminal record.

While national media have covered the case - the Today show mentioned it Monday morning and a People magazine writer was in court - Mrs. Stayton said she was no publicity hound. ''The fact that I flow rather well with it doesn't mean I've enjoyed it,'' she said. ''I'd rather have the four months back.''

Mr. Scacchetti said she was paid $250 for one TV appearance, but not otherwise compensated.

Municipal Judge John Andrew West rejected Mr. Scacchetti's argument that Mrs. Stayton should be acquitted because of a 1979 appeals court decision in a similar case from Oxford.

In that case, the court ruled that putting pennies in parking meters was not obstructing official business because the police officer still could have written the ticket. Mr. McAdams argued that the facts of that case were different, so it didn't apply.

Judge West fined Mrs. Stayton $500 and ordered her to pay $53 court costs. She said she didn't have the money. She has until April 2 to file her appeal.

Outside the courtroom, Officer Johnson stood quietly, accepting the congratulations and backslaps of fellow officers.

''After 17 years, I've seen some crazy things,'' he said, smiling and shaking his head. ''Right now, there's a murder trial going on upstairs that no one cares about. That's all I should say.''

Kristen DelGuzzi contributed to this report.

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