Allen County Prosecutor Reviewing White's Complaint Against Sigler

The Star's Robert Annis has confirmed the Allen Co. Prosecutor Karen Richards has received the complaint Secretary of State Charlie White filed against Special Prosecutor Dan Sigler alleging he had committed voter fraud by voting at a precint in which he did not reside, the same charge for which Sigler had a Hamilton Co. grand jury return indictments against White earlier this year. Advance Indiana exclusively reported on the filing of the complaint this weekend. You can review the full complaint here. Sigler denied the allegations contained in White's complaint, suggesting it was just "sour grapes" on White's part. Annis reports:

Embattled Secretary of State Charlie White has filed a complaint against one of the special prosecutors in his felony voter fraud case, alleging he is guilty of the same offense White's charged with.

White, 41, filed the eight-page complaint to Allen County Prosecutor Karen Richards Friday. White accuses Special Prosecutor Dan Sigler, his ex-wife Nancy Sigler and current wife Sherie Hampshire of voting at the wrong polling sites in the past six years.

Sigler denied the accusations, calling it "sour grapes" on White's part.

"There's no basis in fact for an inquiry," Sigler said Monday. "It's just a product of this person's mind. I haven't voted anywhere where I didn't live. This is just his (White's) way of trying to deflect from his case, but it will continue to move forward."

Danielle Edenfield, chief investigator for the Allen County prosecutor's office, confirmed the office received a "lengthy e-mail" from White and said it was under review . . .

A Recount Commission hearing to hear an election contest filed against White by the Indiana Democratic Party is scheduled for June 21. Lawyers in the case are arguing over whether the proceedings should be televised. Also, former Marion Co. Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, who is representing White's wife, Michelle, is fighting a subpoena issued to her to testify in the proceeding. Brizzi says the special prosecutor has informed White's wife she may face criminal charges in connection with the investigation as well. Brizzi says his client will invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination if forced to testify.

An attorney for White's mother, Margaret White, has also filed a tort claim notice against the Hamilton Co. Prosecutor's office and its special prosecutors for intentional infliction of harm during her testimony before the grand jury convened in the case because of the actions of Daniel Sigler, Jr., the son of Special Prosecutor Daniel Sigler, Sr., one of the two special prosecutors appointed by former Hamilton Co. Prosecutor Sonia Leerkamp. The letter notes a separate disciplinary complaint Margaret White has filed against Sigler, Jr. According to the complaint White filed with the Allen Co. Prosecutor, White accuses him of engaging in "childish and outlandish behavior" during her testimoney "while his spittle from his mouth hit her in the face." The tort claim notice accuses Leerkamp of initiating the investigation in retaliation for White's refusal to support her bid for Hamilton Co. Circuit Court judge and other of her cronies while he was serving as the county GOP chairman. It criticizes the prosecutor's office for its failure to protect rape victims while using the office's scarce resources to carry out political vendettas. The complaint asks the county to preserve the audio and transcript of the portion of the grand jury proceeding during which Sigler, Jr. questioned her. The complaint filed by Fishers attorney John Uskert reads, in part:

That Mr. Daniel Sigler, Jr.’s behavior was so outrageous and disturbing towards me at the grand jury on or about February 13, 2011, that every time I think of Daniel Sigler, Jr. I felt certain physical symptoms which I had never felt before and dreams of him make me wake up at night and feel the same physical symptoms. After describing the symptoms to my physician, he told me that I am having panic attacks and for the first time in 62 years I am having panic attacks because of this adult child of Sigler, Sr. and am taking medicine and must monitor my heart rate until we take further steps to resolve my issues and continuing symptoms caused by him. I have never had any of these problems my entire life until I was abused by Daniel J. Sigler, Jr. and his father and John Dowd sat back and watched.

I am suing Hamilton County, Prosecutor’s office and the above individuals for the part that they have played in setting the stage and causing Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress and for the fact that the Special Prosecutors sat back and allowed this brutal human being to treat me like this. I feel like a thug abused me and then threatened me that I better not talk about it to anyone after the abuse. I have already filed a disciplinary complaint against Sigler, Jr. with the Indiana Bar Disciplinary Commission. The Grand Jury system in Indiana is a way for Prosecutors to hide behind what they have already decided to do..to indict or let a buddy off. This was not a forum for Prosecutors to have some "fun" at my expense because "they can."

I find it disgusting how this office over the years has persistently failed to protect rape victims and it is outrageous how they have spent scarce resources (I understand the county has must cut about $5-$10 million because of revenue shortfalls but the sky is the limit for my family) and moved mountains to go after me and my family to punish us for not backing a failure like Sonia Leerkamp for Circuit Court Judge in 2008 and her present cronies like Mr. Jeff Wehmueller. The Hamilton County prosecutor’s office should not be used to settle political scores or to make decisions because of media to terrorize grandmothers while rapists have gone free or punished very little for years.