New Jersey Justice

Great Braine

Ah, driving in New Jersey. Jughandles, unmarked intersections, British-style circles, whole towns without signage, and many roads called Bloomfield, Carteret and Watchung.
So Gary Braine from Brick gets a little confused at a traffic signal near Rt 70. Joseph Pechillo, the driver behind the Braine, honked repeatedly. Braine gave him the bird. Pechillo, from South Toms River, followed the Braine to a deli parking lot and beat Braine's brains out with a painting stick.
Pechillo got arrested. Braine had a bunch of outstanding tickets, which he'll have to pay when he's released from the hospital.

Eeeewww.

It's difficult to find praise for Jim McGreevey these days -- this blog limits the use of the word "brave" to those who don't serially marry and abandon their families -- but the news out of   makes us glad he limited his "bravery" to rest stops.
Essex County boasts almost 6000 acres of public parks, including 2000+ in the lovely South Mountain Reservation (photo). Authorities just charged over 100 men with using the parks for private trysts with other men. 
Gay men have websites indicating certain spots in the park where they meet. No, not for soccer, reading, picnicking, kiteflying or any of the thousands of other things people should do in a park. No, they meet for public sex.
Apparently, no minors were involved. But as one prosecutor noted, the sex occurred, "right on the walking trails and in the parking areas. It's out in the open."
The Essex County Sheriff suggested the men get a motel room.
The coda to this story? About 22 of the men arrested have been indicted on fourth-degree criminal sexual assault because they groped the arresting officers.
Maybe some of these skells will get a book deal.

The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley

Union County freeholders just passed a new law against loitering that they hope will help in the fight against sexual predators. In practical terms, that means a registered sex offender (there are about 635 in Union County) can swim, play golf, or hike in a trail in a county park, as long as they leave immediately after.
Attorneys all over Union find the bill laughable,   and actionable. Freeholder/paralegal Deborah Scanlon (photo - nb, she's the wife of former Union Twp Mayor Patrick "Patches" Scanlon) introduced the ordinance and told the Star Ledger  that should there be a lawsuit, "we will go to court as many times as it takes to keep our children safe."
Nice words and a wholly admirable mindset -- Scanlon is the mother of three and grandmother of five, so there's a ring of more than political posturing here. But if Union County wants to throw money at this problem, why waste it on lawsuits? An initiative to lock up sexual predators longer, or limit their parole, or impose more permanent restrcitions on them once they're out — all better uses of the taxpayer's money.

A tragedy in three acts

Act I: A graveyard in Denmark.
Hamlet, the indecisive hero, holds up the skull of his old friend Yorick. Hamlet is deeply affected by the finality of death and is at last stirred to act against his murderous uncle.
Act II: A home in North Bergen.
Hamlet Goore, the paramour of the former NJ Attorney General, holds up a court summons for a traffic violation. Hamlet is deeply upset by the implications of the court appearance and is at last stirred to call his travel agent.
After costing his girlfriend, Zulima Farber, her dream job, Hamlet Goore then skipped the court appearance for his traffic ticket.
Rather than come to court, Goore and Farber went to Puerto Vallarta (yes, the same destination for Captain Stubing). Goore's excuse was as lame as it was predictable — this marked the tenth time he has skipped a court date. His court date was September 29, when he was in Mexico. His absence?  Because he thought the court date was September 19th.
However, in the Julian calendar -- in all calendars, actually -- the 29th comes after the 19th. So Goore went to Mexico on his court date because he thought he had already missed the court date.

Act III: The judge didn't buy it. He gave Goore community service and a fine.

A market collapses

The real estate market has crashed, Kara Homes is bankrupt, and Amboy Bank may fall as well.
Amboy Bank took a big gamble on local real estate moguls Kara Homes and Solomon Dwek. Dwek (photo) owes Amboy $50 million. Kara owes the bank nearly $60 million.
There are also plenty of homeless homebuyers.
As predicted for months, the housing bubble finally burst, and property owners all over New Jersey are reducing their reductions. Lots of people got rich flipping houses, and lots more will lose money trying. But it's ridiculous that a bank and a professional homebuilder got caught up in the speculation.
All of this proves the prescience of Yale professor Robert Shiller's Irrational Exuberance, which predicted this collapse. Cold comfort, though, to the families who wanted to live in a Kara home.

A Bloody Day by the Monmouth Battlefield State Park

Sadly, it seems that at least some Bosnians haven't seen quite enough violence. Manalapan resident Alim Hodzic, 53, shot and killed his business partner, 41-year-old Esat Astafovic, and Astafovic's 35-year-old wife, well-liked and successful realtor Violsa Astafovic. Hodzic also shot and wounded Esat's 74-year-old father before fatally shooting himself when police spotted him walking the wealthy community's streets carrying multiple weapons. Police say a lawsuit that went Astafovic's way sparked his former brother-in-law's rage, and the fact that the massacre occurred inside a million-dollar home alongside similarly lofty residences only puts a simple fact in starker relief: it can happen anywhere.

Big Gov Bureaucrats Beget Business Blues

Anyone who's ever stood in line at the MVC or waited to get his car inspected has felt the sting of petty little officials lording their modicum of power over their betters (namely, you and me). In Livingston, the situation's gotten out of hand.
Pizzeta Enoteca is being taken to court over a claim by town officials that the pizza place has violated an ordinances against unauthorized signs. The problem is that the offending item isn't a sign at all. It's a bicycle. The restaurant uses a red bike to make deliveries and the nitwits who write summonses claim that the taxpaying business cannot put its logo on the bike.
Owner Ted Stampoulos, the rare pizza place owner who actually LOSES weight, has a long history of community involvement.
As he told the Star-Ledger, "We are trying to do the right thing in the township. But where does it stop? Next, are they going to have a problem with our T-shirts?"
Well put.

Jersey Higher Education

Recent UMDNJ grad Ahmed Rashed just appeared in court to deny charges that he cut a hand off a cadaver to his stripper ladyfriend.
Somehow this was not the worst press that UMDNJ got this week.
According to a report from the school, State Senator Wayne Bryant was using his office there as an office on Tuesday mornings, reading newspapers, collecting a $35,000 salary as well as benefits and pension credits. Later Bryant got a raise to $36,750.
It's been a terrible year for the senator. As questions first began to arise about his multitude of jobs
Bryant's only son died mysteriously.
This week, Governor Corzine urged Bryant to quit as head of the budget and appropriations panel.
In a sad little statement, Bryant weakly rebutted the charges.

Friends of Christie

A few days ago, the CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb, Peter R Dolan, resigned. His undoing came at the hands of former NJ US Attorney Frederick B Lacey. In an unusual deal, current NJ US Attorney Christie agreed to defer prosecuting Bristol if they'd agree to appoint Lacey as special monitor against financial hanky-panky. This is not news – it's been reported all over the place, especially after Dolan resigned.
But there IS an interesting angle to this that's of interest to NJ legal watchers and beyond. Today's New York Times profile on Lacey notes that when Dolan "sought to blunt a federal prosecutor’s investigation of the company in 2003, he made a seemingly canny move. Mr. Dolan retained the adviser’s services of a former federal judge greatly admired by the prosecutor."
In other words, Dolan held the belief that hiring a friend of Christie would help the company – and himself – avoid prosecution by Christie. Now where on earth would Dolan get THAT idea? Well, Frederick B Lacey was a role model to former NJ US Attorney Herb Stern. Both men are role models to current NJ US Attorney Chris Christie. As has been reported on this site, those who fear finding themselves the target of Christie's office have done remarkably well by hiring friends of Christie.
Examples abound.
North Jersey political kingmaker John Lynch has his entire office tossed and is recently convicted of influence peddling. South Jersey political kingmaker George Norcross is caught on tape peddling influence, but Christie declines to prosecute. The difference? George Norcross hired Herb Stern to represent him.
Charles Kushner exceeds political contribution limits and does so while owning a bank, then gets sent to prison. His brother, Murray Kushner, exceeds political contribution limits and does so while owning a bank, and miraculously avoids even an investigation let alone a conviction. The difference? Murray Kushner hired Herb Stern to represent him.
So the idea floated by the Times – that it pays to hire friends of Christie – doesn't seem so far-fetched.

A real-life Claire Kincaid

Anne Milgram, the first assistant Attorney General, has an incredible resume to match her fetching brown mane. She's an expert in prosecuting human trafficking, including two of the biggest international cases ever. When she worked for Robert Morgenthau in Manhattan, she prosecuted like domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault. A cursory read of this week's Jersey papers proves that she could make herself quite busy in New Jersey.
Saturday: A music teacher in Somerville pleaded guilty to having sex with three students.
Monday: A bar owner in Hudson County pleaded guilty to smuggling underage girls from Honduras.
Tuesday: Former Metuchen tax assessor Walker Matlack is convicted of downloading child porn at home and at work. And a creep in Florham Park is sentenced for possessing 600 images of child porn.
As with Megan's Law, New Jersey has an opportunity to continue to lead the nation in making life difficult for those who prey on children. One hopes Milgram keeps up the pressure and doesn't become distracted by silly things like suing the federal government over alleged violations of state consumer protection laws.