To the Editor:
Two recent letters to the editor have appeared with regard to Neil Gardner, both essentially screaming about “injustice,” one even going so far (John DeFreest, Sr., November 14) as to call Mr. Gardner’s conviction a “kangaroo court trial” and a “travesty of justice, an unconscionable, inquisitorial witch hunt….” Just where does DeFreest get off making these scurrilous comments about a fine, honest, fair and openly-elected County Court Judge, Hon. Robert Jacon? What gives DeFreest the supreme knowledge to be so very cavalier in basically impugning Judge Jacon’s integrity and attempting to hold him up to public ridicule, scorn and contempt? DeFreest’s comments are preposterous and pandering. Ms. Lorri Parisi (whose daughter, 19 year-old Alysia, recently and most coincidentally “wrote” her own letter appearing on October 30 in the Troy Record on Gardner’s behalf) also calls this a “blatant political act” (November 7), especially about his being arrested the day before the November 2007 election. Perhaps Ms. Parisi does not know that Gardner’s lawyer (and Gardner himself) did everything conceivable months before the election repeatedly to try to adjourn his arraignment until after the election, but the Court was having none of it; so, it was really his choice to be arraigned on that day before the election, as a result of his own actions, i.e., either appear or have a warrant issued for his arrest.
Let both writers know and understand, assuming either of them was present at various Town Board meetings over that last few years that, a) at an open Town Board meeting in the presence of the public and on tape Mr. Gardner himself stood up and exclaimed in no uncertain terms exactly what illegal actions he did; b) presumably DEC investigated this, and c) an independent Grand Jury in Rensselaer County of 22-25 people (his “peers” of the citizenry) indicted Mr. Gardner; d) all of this was under the direction of the completely non-political Attorney General’s Office, who also, e) prosecuted the case in front of, f) a Judge – and no jury because, g) Gardner himself waived a jury trial; after which, h) he was convicted beyond a reasonable doubt by the valid evidence put forward to the Court. Recall also that this Judge – essentially deemed an “inquisitor” by Mr. DeFreest – was also the very same Judge who had previously dismissed approximately 22 counts in the indictment well before the trial. Was that also an “unfair” and inquisitorial decision? Was that part a witch hunt?
Mr. DeFreest again screams that, this being a “political act,” people should essentially rise up and carry this cause to the highest rooftops and beseech “all the media people” they can and “use their political connections” to do something about this matter – really a most foul choice of words in this (or any) climate, i.e., “use their political connections….” Haven’t we all here, and in many other locations in our nation, already been cheated and bedeviled by people “using their political connections?” How about allowing the workings of the justice system to take place without “political connections?” Or was that just an inartfully posed phrase by someone coming perilously close to sounding like a first class demagogue?
Instead of screaming for people to “take back their Town,” Mr. DeFreest and others should realize that Stephentown in many respects, because of the things that have occurred here in the recent past, and by some in the current administration, is looked upon by many in Rensselaer County in both high and low positions as the laughingstock of the County. How could some of the Town Board members allow this man’s behavior to go this far? How could there be no oversight of the things that took place, unless there was significant complicity by a couple of obsequious Board members? Yes, it actually is time for the entire Town to “take back” this Town and to allow justice to run its course without encouraging sinister behavior from those with “political connections.”
But Since Mr. DeFreest has called upon citizens freely to speak up about this situation, I also therefore urge all citizens who feel they wish to present perhaps a “different picture” of Mr. Gardner, this purported and apparent “hero of Stephentown,” by writing their potentially contrary views to Hon. Robert Jacon, County Courthouse, Congress & Second Street, Troy, New York, 12180. After all, sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Very Truly Yours,
Brian C. Baker
Main Street, Stephentown