Ohio Judge Blocks Deposition of Ex-Kroger CEO in Jewel Lawsuit Amid Merger. In a surprising turn of events in the ongoing legal saga surrounding Kroger Co.'s former chief executive, a judge has ruled that Rodney McMullen will not be compelled to undergo deposition questioning about the circumstances of his abrupt resignation earlier this year. The decision, handed down in Hamilton County, Ohio, shields McMullen from what could have been a revealing probe into his departure, which the company attributed to personal conduct issues.