MegaRock
24th June 2006, 00:00
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Residents of Jersey City got an unusual glimpse of their mayor-to-be in 2004 when a teen snapped a blurry photo seeming to show then-candidate Jerramiah T. Healy passed out naked on his front stoop.
The latest story about Healy resonating in the state's second-largest city involves him being pepper-sprayed and arrested by police last weekend outside his sister's Jersey Shore bar.
With a history of colorful city officials, most residents are taking the news with a collective shrug.
``Jersey City doesn't surprise me about anything,'' said Greg Andrade, 50, who has lived here for 10 years. ``It's a chuckle, another story.''
Fourteen years ago, Mayor Gerald McCann resigned after he was convicted on federal fraud charges. A famous party boss, Frank Hague, declared himself to be ``the law.''
Healy's confrontation occurred at about 2 a.m. Saturday in Bradley Beach as he left Barry's Tavern.
Healy said he saw a couple arguing in a nearby parking lot and spoke to the man in an effort to calm the dispute. He disputes the police contention that he was interfering in their work and ignored warnings to leave.
``Without cause of provocation, the police officer grabbed my arm, threw me to the ground and handcuffed me,'' Healy said in a statement. He said his wife, Maureen, also was ``shoved by the police to the ground'' and police sprayed pepper spray in his eyes.
His lawyer, Ralph Lamparello, said the mayor ``clearly wasn't intoxicated,'' but declined to talk about what he ate or drank that night.
Healy, who has owned a home in Bradley Beach for many years, plans to file a brutality complaint, saying he and his wife were mistreated by police, Lamparello said.
The lawyer said he's agreed with a request from prosecutors in Monmouth County to defer the complaint until they've completed their own investigation.
``Based on the facts that are determined and developed during the investigation, we'll take action,'' said Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin.
Healy, who worked as a Hudson County prosecutor and served as chief judge of the city's Municipal Court, has long been a fixture in the Jersey City politics.
A former city councilman, he took over for Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham, who died of a heart attack in 2004. Before Healy won a four-year term last year, he defeated 10 other candidates in a special election. It was during that race that Healy was photographed on his front porch.
At the time, Healy did not deny that the photograph was authentic, or that he had been drinking alcohol. But he insisted he had been lured outside by someone banging his trash can, and that he was not naked.
Lori Turoff, 48, who sells real estate in Jersey City, said Healy's troubles don't help Jersey City's image.
``Business is bad when government is bad,'' she said, walking near City Hall. ``He's a representative of the government and he should hold himself to higher standards.''
But Maria Hatzidoukas, whose family has run a dry cleaning and tailoring shop near City Hall for four decades, said the mayor has always been respectful.
``He treats everyone the same as himself,'' she said. ``I'm sure he was trying to do the right thing.''
City Council President Mariano Vega Jr., a supporter of Healy, said the mayor is humble and doesn't see himself as above the law. He called the incident unfortunate.
``It distracts us from the things that we need to focus in on,'' he said. ``I spoke to him the other day. He wants to get this behind him.''
http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/49352.php
The latest story about Healy resonating in the state's second-largest city involves him being pepper-sprayed and arrested by police last weekend outside his sister's Jersey Shore bar.
With a history of colorful city officials, most residents are taking the news with a collective shrug.
``Jersey City doesn't surprise me about anything,'' said Greg Andrade, 50, who has lived here for 10 years. ``It's a chuckle, another story.''
Fourteen years ago, Mayor Gerald McCann resigned after he was convicted on federal fraud charges. A famous party boss, Frank Hague, declared himself to be ``the law.''
Healy's confrontation occurred at about 2 a.m. Saturday in Bradley Beach as he left Barry's Tavern.
Healy said he saw a couple arguing in a nearby parking lot and spoke to the man in an effort to calm the dispute. He disputes the police contention that he was interfering in their work and ignored warnings to leave.
``Without cause of provocation, the police officer grabbed my arm, threw me to the ground and handcuffed me,'' Healy said in a statement. He said his wife, Maureen, also was ``shoved by the police to the ground'' and police sprayed pepper spray in his eyes.
His lawyer, Ralph Lamparello, said the mayor ``clearly wasn't intoxicated,'' but declined to talk about what he ate or drank that night.
Healy, who has owned a home in Bradley Beach for many years, plans to file a brutality complaint, saying he and his wife were mistreated by police, Lamparello said.
The lawyer said he's agreed with a request from prosecutors in Monmouth County to defer the complaint until they've completed their own investigation.
``Based on the facts that are determined and developed during the investigation, we'll take action,'' said Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin.
Healy, who worked as a Hudson County prosecutor and served as chief judge of the city's Municipal Court, has long been a fixture in the Jersey City politics.
A former city councilman, he took over for Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham, who died of a heart attack in 2004. Before Healy won a four-year term last year, he defeated 10 other candidates in a special election. It was during that race that Healy was photographed on his front porch.
At the time, Healy did not deny that the photograph was authentic, or that he had been drinking alcohol. But he insisted he had been lured outside by someone banging his trash can, and that he was not naked.
Lori Turoff, 48, who sells real estate in Jersey City, said Healy's troubles don't help Jersey City's image.
``Business is bad when government is bad,'' she said, walking near City Hall. ``He's a representative of the government and he should hold himself to higher standards.''
But Maria Hatzidoukas, whose family has run a dry cleaning and tailoring shop near City Hall for four decades, said the mayor has always been respectful.
``He treats everyone the same as himself,'' she said. ``I'm sure he was trying to do the right thing.''
City Council President Mariano Vega Jr., a supporter of Healy, said the mayor is humble and doesn't see himself as above the law. He called the incident unfortunate.
``It distracts us from the things that we need to focus in on,'' he said. ``I spoke to him the other day. He wants to get this behind him.''
http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/49352.php