By Jennifer Edwards
Enquirer staff writer

Carrie Davis, left, of Groesbeck, who has filed a "taxpayer lawsuit" asking for the removal from office of Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen, is photographed along with Michael Hawkins, right, attorney for Mike Allen, as they arrive for their hearing in the Hamilton County courtroom. (Gary Landers/The Enquirer) • Full Mike Allen coverage

Prosecutors are continuing to show up for court hearings, argue cases in front of judges and do their work, but morale is falling in the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office since an employee accused Prosecutor Mike Allen of sexual harassment.

Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Robert Ruehlman on Thursday compared the mood at the prosecutor's office to "a bunker mentality; a siege mentality. (Allen's) getting shot down on this from all sides."

Christian Schaefer, a Hamilton County assistant prosecutor, offered a peek into the office while responding Thursday to a claim that he, too, sexually harassed Rebecca Collins. Last week, Collins, 33, filed a federal lawsuit alleging Allen used his political position and job to coerce her into a sexual relationship.

Allen, 48, a married father of two teenagers, admitted he had a 31/2-year sexual affair with Collins, which he called consensual.

Allen has steadfastly denied that he sexually harassed Collins.

Collins returned to work Monday. But Schaefer said having her working at the prosecutor's office is "troublesome."

"In my view the whole situation is intolerable," he said.

Allen has said that the affair, lawsuit and public airing of what he sees as a personal failing does not affect his ability to work as one of the county's top law-enforcement officials. Allen oversees a staff of 115 lawyers and 90 support workers. As prosecutor, he also serves as chief legal adviser to all county officers and boards.

"Things are running fine here. Things are running smoothly," Allen said in an interview with WCPO-TV this week. "It's kind of the way it always is."

Publicly, employees at the prosecutor's office or those who work at the Hamilton County Courthouse will say little about the growing sex scandal and how it is affecting their daily work. Privately, though, many say the mood is dour at the office, but many weren't surprised by Allen's disclosure last week about the affair.

Ruehlman has said that Allen should step down. But Thursday, the judge said that the lawyers who work for Allen are excellent: "They have some really professional (people) in that office.

"They are very disheartened by this," Ruehlman said. "They do not respect him. ... He's the laughingstock."

Ruehlman said there has long been a morale problem under Allen's leadership.

"I know from talking to other prosecutors there is great fear in that office and they fear him for retaliatory action," he said. "In a law enforcement office, you cannot run that kind of an office if you are having sex with one of your subordinates. It completely destroys the whole command structure."

Some of that fear, Schaefer said, stemmed from the "close" relationship between Collins and Allen.

He said he did not know the "nature" of Allen's relationship with Collins.

"To tell you the truth, I was frightened to death of her because of her relationship with Mike. I didn't want to even look cross-eyed at her because she would run and tell Mike."

Schaefer declined to say if he thinks Allen should resign.

Schaefer said Thursday that he was flabbergasted when he learned that Collins said he sexually harassed her, too. Collins and Schaefer have recently worked on four cases together. He denied that he did or said anything to Collins that could be construed as sexual harassment.

Collins' allegations against Schaefer were included in a letter that her lawyers gave to Allen on Aug. 12, before she filed the lawsuit. The purpose of that letter was to tell Allen that she intended to sue him unless they could settle. She asked for $3 million. She is suing both Allen and county commissioners for unspecified damages, lost pay and benefits and asks she be granted promotions she claims she was denied.

The Aug. 12 letter to Allen states: "It is noteworthy that Ms. Collins attempted to utilize the office complaint procedure by complaining to you, when an assistant prosecuting attorney, Christian Schaefer, sexually harassed her, and you disregarded her complaint and took no corrective action against Mr. Schaefer."

"I just can't believe this. It's incredible that this woman would bring me into this," responded Schaefer, an Evendale village councilman. "This woman must be totally nuts."

Carl Stitch, first assisting prosecuting attorney for the civil division, said Thursday that he, too, was surprised by Collins' allegation against Schaefer.

"I have no idea what on earth that's about," he said. "The first I heard of it was the reference in that letter."

If Collins' letter had been addressed to him instead of Allen, Stitch said Thursday, he would have investigated the claim.

Attorneys for Collins on Thursday said they did not mean to call attention to Schaefer, but included the allegation to bolster their contention that the prosecutor's office doesn't investigate claims of sexual harassment.

"We had no intention of bringing Chris Schaefer into it. We still have no intention on doing so," said Sheila Smith, one of Collins' lawyers.

Another of Collins' lawyers, Randy Freking, declined to detail the allegation, except to say it happened before August 2003and she made the complaint to Allen: "She made a complaint (Schaefer) was acting inappropriately toward her. That's all I can say."

Allen's lawyer, Michael Hawkins, said Collins "did not make a complaint about sexual harassment about Christian Schaefer."

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.

Go online: Complete Enquirer coverage of the Mike Allen affair at Cincinnati.Com.

Keyword: mike allen