Westbrook School Committee member Suzanne Joyce has notified city officials that she will file a lawsuit against the city of Westbrook, claiming she was wrongfully prosecuted last year for obstructing an investigation of a former school employee.
Charges against Joyce for hindering the apprehension of former Westbrook Middle School special-education technician Dereck Gilman were dismissed in September.
Gilman, whose charges were also dismissed, was accused of engaging in sexual acts with a minor, a 17-year-old student in Westbrook.
According to the notice of claim, filed Feb. 25 by her attorney, Gary Goldberg of Terry Garmey & Associates, Joyce seeks damages of $400,000. The claim specifically cites Officer Ryan Close of the Westbrook Police Department, who, according to the claim, “caused, initiated, procured, or continued a criminal action without probable cause, was acting with malice.” The claim also says the city and the Westbrook Police Department “failed to properly train or supervise” Close.
Westbrook city officials released a statement in response to the claim Monday afternoon.
“This is yet another unfortunate twist in a tragic tale that has a member of our school committee casting a long shadow over the schools and now calling the integrity of one of our fine law enforcement officers and our superb police agency in to question,” the statement reads. “We are confident that this matter will be resolved in favor of the officer and the department and we hope that happens sooner rather than later.”
The claim states that during his investigation last year, Close provided information to the Cumberland County district attorney “alleging that witnesses stated Joyce had intimidated or otherwise caused witnesses to be uncooperative with Close’s investigation,” which led to Joyce’s grand jury indictment.
“As the Plaintiff knows, only the District Attorney’s office can seek an indictment through the Grand Jury and we have great confidence in our District Attorney’s office,” reads the statement from Westbrook officials. “We are confident that both the police and the DA’s office acted in accordance with the evidence and the law.”
The statement also said that Westbrook officials will have “no further comment until the legal process has taken its course.”
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