Judge Larry A. Jones, Sr. passed away unexpectedly yesterday morning, October 7, 2021.
His death was announced by the Eighth District Court of Appeals, where Judge Jones had served since January 2009.
Concern arose when Judge Jones did not appear for a scheduled Zoom call yesterday morning regarding preparation for an Ohio Black Judges Association program. When he could not be reached — he was in Florida at the time — a family friend went to inquire and discovered his body.
Further details are not available at this time but a source close to the situation said that Judge Jones had had a pacemaker for some time.
Judge Jones had a long and distinguished career in public service, beginning with his tenure as an assistant county prosecutor and as a member of Cleveland City Council for six years, representing a portion of the Collinwood area.
Judge Jones was subsequently elected a judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court. He served there for 21 years, including 14 years as the administrative judge — a measure of the respect and esteem in which his colleagues regarded him.
While a municipal judge, he spearheaded the Greater Cleveland Drug Court, an innovative and collaborative initiative regarded as highly successful. The former prosecutor later came to advocate for sentencing reforms for people convicted of low-level drug crimes. As he wrote once in an op-ed, “What I have learned is that incarcerating drug addicts does not make our communities any safer. But it does create lifelong consequences that make it difficult for these people to transition back into society.”
Last year, Ohio law was changed to reclassify certain low-level felony drug charges to misdemeanors. This was perhaps an illustration of one of Judge Jones's favorite quotes, from the civil rights giant and Supreme Court Justice, Mr. Thurgood Marshall, who said: "You do what you think is right, and the law will catch up."
Judge Jones received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Wooster and his law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Eighth District’s Administrative and Presiding Judge Mary J. Boyle lauded Judge Jones in the news release announcing his death.
“Larry Jones was the quintessential public servant — dedicated to making the judiciary and the community better,” she said. “Apart from being a pioneer and legend in the legal community, he was a friend to everyone and made everyone feel that they were his favorite.”
Judge Jones is the third sitting Cuyahoga County judge to die in nine days. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court judges Nancy McDonnell and Joseph Russo died Sept. 28 and Oct. 2, respectively.
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