WHEELING - Bonnie Grewe,
who was arrested days after publicly criticizing Wheeling police and then
exonerated when another woman confessed to the crime, will meet with a lawyer
this week to pursue wrongful arrest charges.
James Villanova, a
Pittsburgh-based lawyer, confirmed that he will meet with Grewe to discuss the
case. He declined to comment further.
Villanova already is
Grewe's attorney in an ongoing lawsuit against a real estate company.
Grewe declined to comment
on the wrongful arrest charge or a possible lawsuit.
At least two officers
identified Grewe, 51, as the woman seen on video surveillance stealing a wallet
last week from a retail store on Chapline Street.
Hours after the theft,
Grewe criticized the police department during a community meeting in East
Wheeling for their investigation and arrest of her son, Cory Henry, on
"false allegations."
The meeting, which was
led by Delores Wiggins, president of the Ohio Valley Black Caucus, was
advertised as an opportunity to "stand against the corruption" of
city police, municipal judges, county magistrates and prosecutors.
Grewe turned herself in
to police Monday after learning there was a warrant for her arrest. She
"profusely proclaimed her innocence" that day, a police report
states.
Wiggins said that
following Grewe's arrest, a "liaison" of the Black Caucus in Wheeling
noticed the resemblance between Grewe and 50-year-old Wheeling resident
Geraldine Goeller. That woman subsequently contacted Goeller, who admitted to
the crime, according to Wiggins.
Police were provided with
that information, and Goeller admitted to officers she was the one who stole
the wallet that day, according to court filings.
Police provided that
information to the prosecutor's office, which dropped the case again Grewe on
Thursday.
Goeller turned herself in
to police later that night and was charged with petit larceny.
Police Chief Shawn
Schwertfeger took responsibility for the misidentification, but denied it was a
police retaliating against Grewe. He remarked how similar Grewe and Goeller
look.
Wiggins said Grewe and
Goeller "could pass for twins."