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PRINCETON: Boro settles woman's 'humiliation' lawsuit
Thursday, November 5, 2009 6:08 PM EST
By Lauren Otis, Staff Writer
A $5 million lawsuit against Princeton Borough, in which a woman alleged she was humiliated and ill-treated by borough Police Officer Adam Basatemur during a 2007 traffic stop, was settled this past August.
A copy of the two-page settlement agreement was posted online this week, on the Web site of the New Jersey Libertarian Party Open Government Advocacy Project. The posted document, dated Aug. 1, 2009, stated that the plaintiff, Linda Fahmie Arnold, received $67,500 as part of the settlement.
Attorney Michael W. Herbert, who represented Princeton Borough in the matter, confirmed the settlement, which he said was paid out by the municipal Joint Insurance Fund — the borough’s liability insurer — but said he was not at liberty to disclose the settlement amount.
”The borough didn’t pay any money at all as part of the settlement,” Mr. Herbert said.
The insurer paid a settlement so as to avoid the legal costs of taking the case to trial, Mr. Herbert said.
A copy of the two-page settlement agreement was posted online this week, on the Web site of the New Jersey Libertarian Party Open Government Advocacy Project. The posted document, dated Aug. 1, 2009, stated that the plaintiff, Linda Fahmie Arnold, received $67,500 as part of the settlement.
Attorney Michael W. Herbert, who represented Princeton Borough in the matter, confirmed the settlement, which he said was paid out by the municipal Joint Insurance Fund — the borough’s liability insurer — but said he was not at liberty to disclose the settlement amount.
”The borough didn’t pay any money at all as part of the settlement,” Mr. Herbert said.
The insurer paid a settlement so as to avoid the legal costs of taking the case to trial, Mr. Herbert said.
”I know they paid a certain amount out. It was a minor payment,” he said.
George Wilgus, an attorney who represented the insurer in the matter, was unavailable for comment.
Todd Leonard, Ms. Arnold’s attorney in the lawsuit, did not return calls seeking comment.
In her lawsuit, Ms. Arnold, a Princeton resident, alleged she was pulled over by Officer Basatemur while riding a motorcycle on Route 206 South on the night of April 30, 2007. Despite her pleas that she lived close by and needed a bathroom because of a medical condition, Officer Basatemur refused to let her leave the scene and humiliated her as he watched her go to the bathroom behind a tree, according to the 2008 lawsuit.
At the time, Police Chief Anthony Federico sent a letter apologizing to Ms. Arnold for Officer Basatemur’s conduct, which he characterized as “inexcusable” and “unprofessional.” Chief Federico excused a speeding ticket Officer Basatemur issued to Ms. Arnold at the time, and Officer Basatemur served a 60-day unpaid suspension.
Officer Basatemur is still employed by the borough police, and is now a detective on the force.
lotis@centraljersey.com
George Wilgus, an attorney who represented the insurer in the matter, was unavailable for comment.
Todd Leonard, Ms. Arnold’s attorney in the lawsuit, did not return calls seeking comment.
In her lawsuit, Ms. Arnold, a Princeton resident, alleged she was pulled over by Officer Basatemur while riding a motorcycle on Route 206 South on the night of April 30, 2007. Despite her pleas that she lived close by and needed a bathroom because of a medical condition, Officer Basatemur refused to let her leave the scene and humiliated her as he watched her go to the bathroom behind a tree, according to the 2008 lawsuit.
At the time, Police Chief Anthony Federico sent a letter apologizing to Ms. Arnold for Officer Basatemur’s conduct, which he characterized as “inexcusable” and “unprofessional.” Chief Federico excused a speeding ticket Officer Basatemur issued to Ms. Arnold at the time, and Officer Basatemur served a 60-day unpaid suspension.
Officer Basatemur is still employed by the borough police, and is now a detective on the force.
lotis@centraljersey.com
Comments
Comments are limited to 200 words or less.
TheUglyTruth wrote on Nov 9, 2009 8:03 PM:
" no surprise here... settle it quickly and quietly and sweep it under the rug, and promote the cop while they're at it. the quickest way to bring about changes in the conduct of police officers is to take away their immunity. let them start paying these settlements out of their own pockets. we'll see how fast their behavior changes. "
Keith wrote on Nov 9, 2009 10:01 AM:
" Dawn, if your mother, sister, etc. was treated this way, how would you feel? "
DAWN wrote on Nov 8, 2009 5:40 PM:
" People use excuses like these all the time to get out of tickets. If she had to go so bad, why didnt she stop along the way at a public restroom vs going all the way home? i think this officer was justified in his decision and too bad the juducial system has to handle frivilous lawsuits from people like this woman . "
Info for you wrote on Nov 8, 2009 8:47 AM:
" DG, im guessing this cop probably apologized for his mistake and moved on from it (im pretty sure no cop is perfect over a 25 year career). Unlike a few other cops that I heard now cut lawns, guard courthouses, or are maybe even collecting unemployment. "
i remember wrote on Nov 6, 2009 5:25 PM:
" I remember reading about the incident at the time. How did he watch her behind a tree & if he did how did she see him?
Was her medical condition ever confirmed? "
Was her medical condition ever confirmed? "
DG wrote on Nov 6, 2009 8:41 AM:
" I wonder what Det. Puppet, I mean Basatemur, had to do to get back in the good graces of the administration. "
Really wrote on Nov 5, 2009 11:52 PM:
" Mr. Herbert may feel as though $67,500 is a minor amount, but I disagree. While the Borough did not incur any "out of pocket" expense, I am sure claims of this nature effect their rates in the future. Especially since this may not be the only settlement Princeton Borough will be required to pay out in the future. "
Just wondering wrote on Nov 5, 2009 11:40 PM:
" Let me see if I understand this. A Princeton Borough patrolman, who received a sixty day suspension (probably the longest suspension in the last thirty years), who is described as committing an act that is "inexcusable" and "unprofessional", which ends up costing the Borough's insurance carrier $67,500 is then promoted/transfered to the Detective Bureau? Were there no other patrol officers qualified, who had not received a suspension, committed such a horrible act or caused the insurance carrier to pay out a settlement available? What message does this send to the other officers within the agency who do not have a suspension or such poor judgement? Interesting. Hopefully no other Detectives will cause such a settlement to be paid out. Time will tell I guess. "
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more to come wrote on Nov 10, 2009 9:32 PM: