By William J. Kemble | Daily Freeman, Kingston, N.Y. (TNS)
Saugerties, N.Y. — Former Police Chief Joseph Sinagra has sued three Town Board members in a $2.5 million defamation lawsuit claiming that their statements made before and after his retirement have inflicted emotional distress.
The filing was served to the Town Board members on Wednesday evening when they were between a public hearing and the start of a monthly meeting, with Supervisor Fred Costello, Councilman Mike Ivino and Councilman Zach Horton each given two copies of the case without advanced notice.
“We figured this was coming,” Ivino said. “We just didn’t know when.” The filing is dated July 24.
Sinagra also seeks to have an additional “award of damages...in an amount to be determined at trial” for loss of income, legal expenses, and reputational harm.
The board members, who had not had a chance to read the documents before the meeting ended Wednesday, said they were unaware of the amount being sought.
Claims in the filing state that Sinagra has been subject to aversion, contempt, hatred and “unsavory or evil opinion in the minds of a significant number of people in the community” due to comments that have been reported in media outlets.
“Supervisor Costello’s and Town Board (members’) statements to the public falsely demonstrate that (Sinagra) has been engaging in behavior incompatible with the proper ethical or professional conduct of his business trade,” the filing states. “Additionally, these false, defamatory and untruthful public statements have adversely affected the claimant’s business and ability to obtain/retain employment opportunities and have adversely affected his professional career.”
Included in the filing were multiple mentions of Freeman stories, including from July 8, 2023; July 14, 2023; July 29, 2023; Aug. 4, 2023; Sept. 20; Oct. 10; Nov. 2; and Dec. 15. Also mentioned is a Dec. 20 story from Hudson Valley One.
In another cited Freeman story, on July 27, 2023, the filing claims comments were made to “falsely imply and convey a defamatory meaning” that a paid administrative leave was “because of misconduct as chief of police.”
“In that article,” the lawsuit says, “Defendant Costello is quoted as saying ... .’there is an investigation being conducted that should determine whether the chief returns to the position.’”
It then states that two days later comments in a Freeman story about controversy surrounding findings in a state Attorney General’s report were also intended to “convey a defamatory meaning to the public” involving an investigation into the handling of misconduct allegations against an officer in the department.
“In that article,” the lawsuit says, “Defendant Costello stated that the move was necessary ‘... because the controversy from the Attorney General’s report was playing a role in how well the town police department was functioning.’”
Comments that came as part of an Aug. 11, 2023, Freeman story (the suit said it was an Aug. 14, 2023, front-page story but it was published in print on Aug. 12, 2024) centered on the relief felt over an anticipated conclusion to controversy after the announcement that Sinagra had submitted his retirement notice. One statement also involved whether Sinagra should have dismissed the officer, which the lawsuit contends was reflected in a quote as meaning that Sinagra had engaged in misconduct by not taking the action sought by board members.
“Defendant Ivino further stated in the same article that he and the board are focused on ‘cultivating a department that is a good place to work and doesn’t have the stories...taunting us every day,’” court papers state. “This statement...was intended to falsely imply and convey a defamatory meaning to the public that under (Sinagra’s) leadership the Saugerties Police Department was not a good place to work, that the plaintiff engaged in misconduct as chief of police, and there were stories about the plaintiff that were ‘taunting’ the town of Saugerties.”
Sinagra’s lawsuit contends one of the first things to be lost due to resulting publicity was a job as law enforcement liaison for the Governor’s Traffic Safety Council, which began on Oct. 1, 2023, and ended 30 days later.
“Director (Licet) Gaveau told the plaintiff that (Gov. Kathy Hochul) ‘does not want any spot light or controversy placed on GTSC’ and that she wanted the plaintiff terminated from his position with GTSC,” court papers state.
Comments made by the board members were also blamed for Sinagra not receiving calls after submitting a dozen employment applications. For two other applications, the suit says he was told that his employment would either “negatively impact” or “would generate adverse media attention.”
The lawsuit also notes that Costello publicly spoke on behalf of Sinagra at a July 17, 2023, New York State Association of Chiefs of Police event in Albany, where Sinagra was sworn in as association president.
“Defendant Costello also stayed the evening and took several pictures with (Sinagra) and others,” the lawsuit states.
However, four days later Sinagra was asked by Costello to remove social media postings about the event. It was nine days later when the Town Board met in an emergency executive session for discussions that led to Sinagra being placed on administrative leave.
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