Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry The pages torn out of a deed book at the Warren County Register and Recorder’s Office have been returned - somewhat worse for wear. The person accused of the damage has entered a plea to tampering with a public record.

The documents damaged in a Dec. 1 incident at the Warren County Courthouse are old, but not originals.

All pages were recovered, none were private, and the office has not asked for any restitution in the case.

Warren County Register and Recorder Lisa Burkhouse said it was an unfortunate incident. “We felt very bad about the whole thing,” Burkhouse said.

An Ohio woman, Shawanda Brofford, was charged in the incident and entered a plea on Thursday.

Brofford entered the office on Dec. 1.

Staff assisted her for a while — about 15 minutes, Burkhouse said.

Brofford had apparently found what she was looking for. Staff printed her a copy and she left.

Burkhouse said she returned upset that she did not have the correct document.

“I printed three documents,” Burkhouse said. “She continued to look and search.”

The situation was unusual, but not to the level where the staff would have asked Brofford to leave. “I was keeping an eye on the situation,” Burkhouse said. “We were aware that it was a strange situation. All of a sudden, she’s walking out.”

Burkhouse saw Brofford rolling up papers that were not the bright white of new copies and trying to hide them.

“I pleaded with her,” she said. “I offered to make copies.”

Sheriff’s Office deputies — the office is just down the hall — were summoned and were immediately on the scene.

“I’m so happy that the Sheriff’s Office was so helpful,” Burkhouse said. “They’re wonderful.”

Before she was escorted out, Brofford told Burkhouse, “I’m not leaving here until I get a copy of these.”

She did leave — in custody of the deputies — but Burkhouse made sure she received the copies.

The documents are public records and, despite the circumstances, Burkhouse decided that handling that request was part of her job.

The pages that Brofford tore out of the deed book have been returned.

“We have every page,” Burkhouse said.

There is damage to each page along the edge where they were secured in the book. One page had to be taped.

They have not been secured back in the book in case they are needed in court.

Burkhouse said she is unsure why Brofford was interested in the pages.

The documents do not seem to be related to the ones she had asked for help with finding. Also, the pages contain seemingly-unrelated, miscellaneous land records recorded chronologically from 1984.

Burkhouse said there have been some calls to the office with concerns about private records.

“The only items that were removed were public real estate records,” she said. “No estates. No orphans’ court documents. Nothing private went in her purse that day.”

The damages were minimal. Burkhouse said she has been asked about setting a value on the damage done and has declined.

The pages and the book they were torn out of weren’t originals.

The original documents — and the originals of much older documents available at the office — are much larger and are stored off-site, Burkhouse said. The county is in the process of scanning those to allow the public electronic access.

But, the situation was upsetting for the office staff.

“It’s very unusual,” Burkhouse said. “We had bent over backwards to help her.”

Brofford pleaded guilty before President Judge Maureen Skerda on Thursday to a single count of misdemeanor tampering with a public record.

Charges of fraud, tampering, institutional vandalism, disorderly conduct and parking in a handicapped zone were not prosecuted in exchange for the plea.

District Attorney Rob Greene cited the defendant’s severe mental health issues, telling the court she has refused treatment in the jail and been kept in isolation since she was arrested.

Skerda ordered mental health evaluations as a result.

Brofford’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Francis Waweru, stressed that he believes his client is competent.