State won’t prosecute Newington town attorney (CT)

MERIDEN —— The state’s attorney’s office on Tuesday declined to prosecute breach of peace charges against Newington Town Attorney Peter Boorman and the grandson of a woman for whom he serves as
conservator in a long-running and bitter probate case.

By choosing to nolle the misdemeanor charges, the state reserves the right to raise them again if a defendant is arrested during the 13 months, otherwise they will be erased.

Wallingford police arrested Boorman, 58, of Newington and Joseph Geremia, 39 of Rocky Hill on May 22 after a physical altercation between the two that happened when Boorman was at the house where Geremia’s grandmother lives to collect almost $9,000 pursuant to a probate court order issued earlier that day.

Boorman ‘s lawyer John D. Ritson said his client would resign in the next few days as conservator for 96-year-old Margaret Geremia. Boorman will remain conservator until Newington Judge Of Probate Robert Randich accepts his resignation, Ritson said.

“He has no intention of staying in the case given what’s going on,” Ritson said. “It was a crazy situation. This was a very contentious thing that’s been going on a long time. He was trying to do what the judge wanted him to do. Joseph Geremia had no business being there.”

The Newington Probate Court had received no resignation letter from Boorman as of Tuesday afternoon. If a request is received, Randich would rule on it at the next hearing in the case scheduled for June 11, his office said.

Randich appointed Boorman conservator, putting him in control of Margaret Geremia’s finances, last September. Boorman is vice chairman of the Newington Democratic Town Committee, and Randich is a member.

The altercation occurred about an hour after a lengthy and contentious probate court hearing during which Boorman asked for authority to seek a criminal investigation. Boorman claimed that Joseph Geremia’s parents, Douglas and Linda Geremia, had failed to explain to him $15,000 in expenditures and gifts made while they managed his mother’s affairs.

Boorman was in the Geremias’ home at 23 King St. in Wallingford when Joseph arrived and a confrontation ensued.

Boorman has accused Joseph Geremia of assaulting him, while Joseph Geremia has said the altercation began when Boorman tried to push through him into his grandmother’s room.

The incident was over by the time Wallingford police arrived.

Ritson called Boorman ” a victim,” and displayed a picture of him with a black eye.

Joseph Geremia has said he suffered two chipped teeth and a contusion in the incident.

Russell Palmer, Joseph Geremia’s attorney, declined to discuss the confrontation.

“It was an unfortunate incident all around,” Palmer said.

The Geremias have fought over the assets and care of Margaret Geremia since April 2011, with family members accusing each other of stealing from her, hiding and plotting to secretly to sell possessions and cutting off access to her.

In addition, to Boorman’s request for a criminal probe, Margaret Germia’s other son William has filed one motion accusing his brother Douglas of misappropriating about $29,000 and backing Boorman’s request for an investigation and another seeking enforcement of a subpoena.

Also pending before the court is a motion by Douglas Geremia seeking Boorman’s removal as conservator.

All four motions, three of which date from late March, were on the agenda for the May 22 hearing, but Randich ruled on none of them.

Attribution:

State Won’t Prosecute Newington Town Attorney
Christopher Hoffman
June 5, 2012
The Hartford Courant
http://www.courant.com/community/newington/hc-newington-probate-0606-20120605,0,2723670.story