Donations to the legal defense fund for two Cincinnati police officers indicted in the death of a College Hill man topped $2,500 within 24 hours of its establishment, a union official said Sunday.

        The officers will need that and much more, Fraternal Order of Police President Keith Fangman said.

        “Both officers have been told that their legal bills will be tens of thousands of dollars,” he said. “After speaking with both officers, at a minimum they're both going to lose their house as a result of this.”

        Officers Robert Jorg and Patrick Caton were indicted Thursday by a Hamilton County grand jury in the Nov. 7 death of Roger Owensby, 29, during his arrest near a Roselawn gas station.

        Officer Jorg was charged with involuntary manslaughter and assault; Officer Caton was charged with assault. Both remain suspended with pay.

        Mr. Fangman said the legal defense account was established at the Cincinnati Police Credit Union at 5 p.m. Thursday, and there have been a number of donations. He did not know that total Sunday.

        Donations worth about $2,000 had been dropped off at the FOP hall on Central Parkway by Friday afternoon, Mr. Fangman said. WLW radio host Bill Cunningham donated another $500, he said.

        “All we ask is these officers get a fair trial and that they not be railroaded for politics,” Mr. Fangman said.

        Donations are accepted at the Cincinnati Police Credit Union, 959 W. Eighth St., Cincinnati 45203.

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