Elizabeth Keating and her husband, William J.

Tuesday, March 27, 2001

Elizabeth Keating and her husband, William J. Keating, pleaded not guilty Monday on charges related to missing Ironton Band Boosters funds.

The Lawrence County Grand Jury indicted Mrs. Keating, 43, on five counts of grand theft and four counts of theft, all felonies, earlier this month. In a separate indictment, Mr. Keating, 43, was indicted on two counts of felony theft.

The charges involve more than $80,000 of Ironton Band Boosters money, said Lawrence County Prosecutor J.B. Collier Jr.

The indictments allege misappropriations from bank accounts and certificates of deposits, Collier said.

Mrs. Keating formerly served as treasurer for the band boosters organization.

Defense attorneys for Mr. and Mrs. Keating entered separate not guilty pleas during Monday morning’s arraignment before visiting Judge Everett Burton in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Mr. Keating was allowed to sign a bond on his own recognizance. Mrs. Keating remains in jail on a $500,000 bond related to an earlier charge of attempted murder.

Attorney J. Roger Smith said Mr. Keating has no previous criminal record, he is employed at CSX and is caring for the couple’s children while Mrs. Keating is in jail.

"There is no reason (for him) not to appear," Smith said.

A pre-trial date for Mr. Keating has not yet been set, but Smith said he will soon file motions for discovery and a bill of particulars, which requests specific information about the charges.

In discussing bond for Mrs. Keating in the theft case, Collier called the charges are serious and said the current bond she’s being held under is sufficient.

Mrs. Keating’s defense attorney, Mark McCown, told the judge he expects to file a motion to reduce bond in the attempted murder case.

Judge Burton set Mrs. Keating’s bond at $100,000, and said if she furnishes bond in the other case she can sign her own bond on this one.

After the arraignment, McCown said he expects a pre-trial date to be set soon.

McCown said he will file the motion to reduce bond so Mrs. Keating can post bail and receive medical treatment.

"There is a lack of access to the mental health treatment she needs," he said.