Glen Ridge agrees to settle lawsuit with former police officer

GLEN RIDGE, NJ — Former Glen Ridge Police Sgt. Merritt Carr, who filed a lawsuit against the Glen Ridge Police Department and borough back in October 2016 in which he alleged constant harassment and intimidation by Police Chief Sheila Byron-Lagattuta, has settled his lawsuit for $675,000. Carr alleged that Byron-Lagattuta set out on a “continuing, systematic and outrageous pattern of abusive and adverse actions.”

According to the lawsuit, other claims made by Carr in the lawsuit alleged that Byron-Lagattuta places favoritism over merit and experience, abuses and disregards disciplinary policy, and flaunts her political connections and alliances. Carr also claimed within the lawsuit that Byron-Lagattuta leads with intimidation and fear, saying the department “has unfortunately been led for the past five years by a megalomaniacal despot who manages her department through intimidation and fear of career ruination.”

According to the lawsuit, when Carr complained about the chief to borough officials, he was placed on administrative leave and ordered to submit to a fitness-for-duty exam. The lawsuit also alleged that both Carr and his wife suffered undue stress and anxiety due to the chief’s behavior and harassing phone calls to their home; the lawsuit states the couple were hospitalized for brief periods after suffering stress and panic attacks. According to the suit, Carr’s causes of action included violations of New Jersey’s Family Leave Act, the state’s whistleblower act and disability discrimination.

Both Carr’s attorney at Curcio, Mirzaian, Sirot LLC of Roseland and Byron-Lagattuta were contacted for comment. Carr’s attorneys declined to comment, while Byron-Lagattuta did not respond by press time.

Glen Ridge Borough Administrator Michael Zichelli provided an Aug. 21 statement from the Glen Ridge mayor and council regarding the settlement of two lawsuits.

“The first lawsuit was brought by former Glen Ridge Police Sgt. Merritt Carr. The second lawsuit was brought by a civilian employee working in the Glen Ridge Police Department,” read the statement, which was sent to The Glen Ridge Paper Aug. 24.

The statement went on to explain that both matters were settled by Glen Ridge’s insurance carrier with the consent of Glen Ridge.

“Merritt Carr’s complaint alleged matters that occurred from approximately November 2014 to February 2015,” the statement read. “The complaint itself was filed on Oct. 24, 2016, almost four years ago. In its response, Glen Ridge denied all the substantive allegations raised by Merritt Carr. In March and April of this year, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Robert H. Gardner dismissed in their entirety all claims asserted by Merritt Carr against all of the complaint’s individual defendants, including Glen Ridge’s chief of police.

“Merritt Carr filed a limited appeal, appealing only that portion of Judge Gardner’s decision which related to the chief of police,” it continued. “Merritt Carr did not appeal Judge Gardner’s decision dismissing the complaint with respect to all other individual defendants. In an interim ruling, the New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division referred back to Judge Gardner his dismissal relating to Glen Ridge’s chief of police. The remand was done solely ‘to afford the court the opportunity to set forth findings of fact and conclusions of law with respect to the summary judgment dismissal of the claims against the chief.’”

The statement further explained the settlement.

“In the case of Merritt Carr, the same insurance carrier recommended settlement to avoid the cost of continued litigation and the risks which always attend litigation,” the statement read. “The settlement amount paid to Merritt Carr and his attorneys was $675,000, the amount reported by the Star-Ledger. The full $675,000 was paid directly by the insurance carrier. Glen Ridge agreed to reimburse the insurance carrier $25,000, to be allocated by the insurance carrier either to the settlement amount or the costs of litigation, as the carrier saw fit. The insurance carrier, not Glen Ridge, agreed to pay an additional $21,568, if Merritt Carr did not receive the full settlement by July 31.

“The insurance carrier paid the full settlement by July 31 and no additional monies will be paid,” it continued. “As part of the settlement, Merritt Carr dismissed with finality all of his claims against Glen Ridge and its employees, including the chief of police. In addition, Merritt Carr agreed he will not return to work for Glen Ridge.

“Like the settlement agreement with the civilian employee, the settlement agreement with Merritt Carr finds no liability on the part of Glen Ridge or any of its employees. The settlement agreement is also very clear that Glen Ridge does not admit liability,” the statement added.

  FEATURED, Glen Ridge Police Department