Toledo police Lt. Frank Ramirez was found not guilty yesterday of domestic violence for an incident last summer involving his former girlfriend at his North Toledo home.

A jury in Toledo Municipal Court acquitted Lieutenant Ramirez of a misdemeanor charge that could have sent him to jail for six months and possibly ended his career in law enforcement.

The jurors - five women and three men - deliberated almost an hour before returning a verdict.

Lieutenant Ramirez, who has been with the police department since 1983, showed no emotion as the verdict was read.

“I am pleased with the jury's decision. I know the facts spoke for themselves,” the lieutenant said.

Lieutenant Ramirez was charged after Toledo police were called about 11 p.m. on July 27 to St. Luke's Hospital in Maumee to investigate a complaint from Lynnette Busch of Whitehouse. She said she broke her rib and was bruised on the arm in a fight about 5:30 a.m. that day with the lieutenant.

Yesterday, Lieutenant Ramirez took the witness stand in his own defense. He told the jury that Ms. Busch was high on crack cocaine and became abusive after he rebuffed her sexual advances when she came to his house.

At first, he said he told her to leave. But when she refused he said he tried to walk out the front door to go to his parents. He said she stepped on his foot, unintentionally breaking his toe.

“During the entire confrontation, I was asking her to leave,” he said. “She kept standing in front of the door.”

At the time, the lieutenant said, he was breaking off the relationship because of her addiction to crack cocaine. He said they never lived together during the two years they dated. He said she took a key from his mother's house to get into the house that night.

Lieutenant Ramirez also testified that the officer who filed the domestic violence charge did not follow departmental guidelines and interview him to determine the primary physical aggressor in the altercation.

Brian Garrison, one of the jurors, said the panel was unanimous in its decision to acquit. He said prosecutors failed to prove Ms. Busch was living with Lieutenant Ramirez and that she had permission to be there.

“She seemed to be the aggressor. We think he gave her every opportunity to leave the premises but she refused,” said Mr. Garrison.

Lorin Zaner, an attorney representing Lieutenant Ramirez, said prosecutors and police officials maliciously pursued the case against his client in an attempt to have him dismissed.

“I have never seen them go to the extreme lengths that they did in this case to get a conviction. By going to the court and getting immunity for somebody who was involved in crack cocaine, theft, potential burglary, trespass, and possible child endangering, ... it is clear they wanted his badge,” said Mr. Zaner.

“They never did a thorough and complete investigation of this case. It is obvious to me someone higher up doesn't want him to remain a police officer,” he said.

But Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Steinberg said the city recently began prosecuting domestic relations cases in which the victim is either reluctant or not available. “That is something we do now; prosecute, and prosecute very zealously,” he said.

Police Chief Mike Navarre denied the allegation that the city was out to get the officer. “I have not had any conversations whatsoever with any prosecutors regarding this case. Our job is to make the report and present the evidence to prosecutors, which we did in this case,” he said.

First Published April 6, 2002, 8:33 a.m.