By Cindi Andrews,
Sharon Coolidge and Dan Horn
Enquirer staff writers

MIKE ALLEN COVERAGE

• Allen's wife: 'I thought she would do this' • Video from WCPO • Office seeks state inquiry • Letters to the editor • Complete coverage

The Hamilton County prosecutor's office Tuesday asked the Ohio attorney general to investigate sexual-harassment allegations by a female assistant prosecutor against Prosecutor Mike Allen.

"I think the appropriate thing to do is kick it up to the chief legal counsel for the state," first assistant prosecutor Carl Stich said. "That removes all taint, all political squabbling, and we don't have to worry about these turf battles."

A spokesman for Attorney General Jim Petro said the office is reviewing Stich's request.

Assistant prosecutor Rebecca Collins, 33, filed a federal lawsuit last week accusing Allen, 48, of using his position to coerce her into a 31/2-year sexual relationship. Collins also sued the county commissioners. Allen has admitted the relationship but said it was consensual.

County commissioners condemned Allen's conduct and voted 3-0 Monday to hire a lawyer to investigate the allegations and make Allen pay legal bills. Allen Tuesday sued commissioners to force them to cover his fees.

Commissioners said they would not pursue a full-scale investigation if Petro does one.

Collins returned to work Monday after a week's sick leave. She complained in a legal filing Tuesday that her case files had been removed from her office.

According to the lawsuit, Stich told Collins that the files were taken to check the status of the cases.

"Mr. Stich unlawfully retaliated against Rebecca Collins and subsequently lied about it," her lawyer, Randy Freking, said. "They took away all her active files on which she had been working."

Stich said the files were taken so others could work on them during her absence.

"My understanding was that she would retrieve them ... go see her co-counsel and say, 'I've been away for a week and what needs to be done' and get to work on them," Stich said.

Collins was not at work Tuesday.

Also Tuesday, Groesbeck resident Carrie Davis filed a lawsuit seeking to remove Allen from office.

Davis said Allen committed gross misconduct by having a sexual relationship with a subordinate and failing to notify the commissioners about it when Collins made a complaint Aug. 12.

Judge Thomas Crush, presiding judge of Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, will have a hearing Thursday.

Allen's lawyer, Michael Hawkins, said Davis' action was premature and politically motivated.

He questioned her ties to commissioner Todd Portune, with whom she was involved in bringing a federal lawsuit against the Cincinnati Bengals over construction of Paul Brown Stadium. Portune said he has nothing to do with Davis' case.

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com, scoolidge@enquirer.com, dhorn@enquirer.com