CINCINNATI — Simon Leis, a longtime public official who dedicated the majority of his life to serving Hamilton County, has died Saturday at age 92.
Leis started his career in the Marines, where he said he would have stayed if not for his family.
Instead, he was appointed Hamilton County prosecutor in 1971 after Melvin G. Rueger resigned to become a judge. Leis then became a Court of Common Pleas judge before serving as Hamilton County sheriff, a role he held for 25 years until his retirement.
While prosecutor, Leis took on Jerry Springer, who resigned from city council after admitting to soliciting a prostitute. He also tackled pornography and, in the process, Hustler's Larry Flynt.
"Tell you what, though, I caught an awful lot of hell," he told us. "I don't mind controversy at all, I kinda enjoyed being controversial and having people jumping on me — and I had a tendency to jump back, too."
The case against Flint was so controversial that it became the subject of a major motion picture. Leis told us that "to this day, I have never watched the movie. ... I never will."
Merlyn Shiverdecker worked for Leis in the prosecutor's office, then had to try cases before him when he became a judge. He said he believes Leis entered public service for "the right reason."
"The thing to me that I appreciated most about Si, he made every decision based on what he thought was right," Shiverdecker said. "He was the most prominent politician, public office holder in Hamilton County for over 40 years."
When he became sheriff, Leis ran his office like it was the military.
"He had mobilized battering rams, I think SWAT tank vehicles, he had two helicopters, the dive team, the boats, I mean, he loved those toys," Shiverdecker said.
As sheriff, he continued to be a lightning rod. He raided the Contemporary Arts Center over Robert Mapplethorpe photographs he believed at the time were considered homoerotic.
"A lot of ruffled ... feathers there's no doubt about it," he said of the reaction.
However, he told us that over his decades-long career, "I don't regret one thing."
"I have no second thoughts on anything I ever did," Leis said. "If you asked me if I do exactly the same thing, I wouldn't change one thing."
Looking back on his journey, Leis said he's had a life well-lived.
"I've been a very fortunate man to have lived the life I lived; had the fine family I've had and had the career I've had," Leis said. "You know, what more can you have in life?"
