Opinion ID: 1468311
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Donna Bottari Summons

Text: On May 2, 1975, Police Officer Charles Scalzo issued a motor vehicle summons to Donna Bottari (hereinafter Bottari) for violation of N.J.S.A. 39:4-81 (Failure to Obey Traffic Signal). The evidence is clear that Bottari discussed the summons with her mother, Theresa Bottari, who thereafter communicated with the Chief of Police for the Borough of Seaside Heights (hereinafter Chief Groffie), and conferred with him about the summons. Chief Groffie knew Theresa Bottari for a period of time and had utilized her services as a travel agent in his private life incident to travel arrangements during vacation periods. Chief Groffie called upon Theresa Bottari at her place of employment, obtained from her the summons issued to her daughter, and advised Theresa Bottari that he would look into the matter. On June 6, 1975, the respondent dismissed the Bottari summons in his chambers. The respondent never heard the testimony of the issuing police officer or the defendant, nor did he in any other manner adjudicate the case. It is the position of the respondent that at some point in time prior to the dismissal of the summons, the exact date not recalled, Chief Groffie requested a dismissal of the summons. According to the respondent, Chief Groffie advised him that there was either a fatal defect in the State's case or great difficulty in proving the charges; and in requesting that the summons be dismissed he, Chief Groffie, had the consent of the issuing officer. The testimony of the respondent that he dismissed the summons at the request of the Chief of Police, and then only after first obtaining the above representations from him, is consistent with other evidence before the Committee and a point which the Committee finds factually true. The testimony of the respondent is further supported by the rather unusual activities engaged in by Chief Groffie, including his taking a personal interest in the Bottari summons and in testifying to other related facts before the Committee, which testimony the Committee finds to be, at a minimum, misleading and probably false. In addition, although Chief Groffie denies any knowledge relevant to the dismissal of the summons (and specifically denies requesting respondent to dismiss the summons), the court clerk, Katherine Goskowsky, testified that she recalled the day that the Bottari summons was dismissed and specifically remembers being requested to bring the summons to the respondent's chambers, at which time Chief Groffie was present. Chief Groffie testified that in his position as Chief of Police, he investigated the issuance of the summons by his subordinate police officer and when he concluded that the matter should be adjudicated by the court, he took no further action. He categorically denies having requested the respondent to dismiss the matter and denies that he represented to the respondent that in requesting the dismissal he had the consent of the issuing officer. The Committee attaches no credence whatsoever to the testimony of Chief Groffie.