County prosecutor named 'Woman of Achievement'

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Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh was recognized March 5 as a "Woman of Achievement" by a Pittsburgh organization for her successful prosecution of the Jimmy Lee Tayse case.

"I am honored to have been given this award, especially for doing something that I believed in so much -- prosecuting Jimmy Lee Tayse," Walsh said. "It took an incredible team of individuals ... to prosecute this case."

Walsh was recognized along with 22 Pittsburgh women by Celebrate & Share, an organization which features the achievements of women and raises funds for organizations that focus on the needs of women and children in the community.

Walsh was nominated by Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.

When presented the award, the hostess commented that it was "unusual to give an award to a woman outside of Pittsburgh," but that Zappala wanted to "nominate Prosecutor Walsh because he wanted to recognize her extraordinary efforts in successfully prosecuting the man who kidnapped and molested the woman at the Waterworks Mall."

On April 7, 2007, Tayse, 31, kidnapped a 33-year-old woman and her 16-month-old daughter outside of a Giant Eagle grocery store in Pittsburgh.

Tayse then forced the woman to withdraw $200 from a drive-thru ATM in Pennsylvania and $100 from an ATM in Akron.

She was also robbed of her jewelry and forced to purchase five $100 gift cards at a Giant Eagle in Cuyahoga Falls.

While in Brimfield, Tayse raped the victim three times at a local motel.

Eventually, they wound up in Cleveland, where Tayse released the victim and her baby in an East Cleveland neighborhood.

Walsh and Chief Counsel Mary Ann Kovach prosecuted Tayse after the Allegheny County District Attorney requested that Summit County handle the case.

Ohio law has a broader venue definition that allows offenses that are a continuing course of conduct over multiple jurisdictions -- even multiple states -- to be tried in Summit County if any element of any offense occurred in Summit County.

On Sep. 28, 2007, Tayse was found guilty by a Summit County jury of 14 of the 15 original indicted felonies. On Oct. 30, 2007, Tayse was sentenced by Judge Thomas Teodosio to 73 years to life for his crimes.