GLFPC - News Bulletin - O'Connell Restraining Order
Nov 16, 2017 8:05:56 GMT -7
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Post by Admin on Nov 16, 2017 8:05:56 GMT -7
Glastonbury Landowners For Positive Change
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News Bulletin
Temporary Court Order of Protection for GLA is continued
This news is offered as a volunteer service by the GLFPC to our subscribers.
A court-ordered hearing on whether a temporary Order of Protection for GLA against Daniel and Valery O’Connell should be made permanent (either for a period of time or permanently) ended without resolution on Wednesday, November 8, 2017. Instead Judge Brenda Gilbert extended the temporary Order of Protection for at least 20 more days. The extension will allow GLA and their attorney, Alanah Griffith, time to read and cross-examine the written affidavits which the O’Connells submitted to the court but not to GLA.
GLA asked for court protection after the September 11, 2017 board meeting when tensions between the O’Connell’s and the board and meeting attendees reached a boiling point. The pivotal moment was when Daniel O’Connell threatened to kill anyone who might attack his wife. As many have observed, the O’Connells are long-known for disrupting GLA meetings by repeatedly interrupting others, speaking out of turn, and refusing to return to order when requested to do so. The petition also stated that protection was needed because the intensity of the O’Connell’s disruptions has escalated since the court named them as Vexatious Litigants about two years ago.
At the beginning of the hearing, Judge Gilbert announced that each side would be given equal time in the two-hours allotted for the hearing. GLA President Dennis Riley, Vice-President Dan Kehoe and landowner Michelle McCowan spoke as witnesses for GLA. Vern Nye, Claudette Dirkers, Jeff Riederer and Tim Brockett waited in the hallway to be called as witness for GLA until time ran out. GLA Board member Charlotte Mizzi spoke as witness for the O’Connells, along with landowner Charles Barker and a Sheriff Deputy. Time constraints prevented Ed Dobrowsky and William Smith (actually a no-show) from testifying for the O’Connells. In total, about 30 GLA members attended the hearing.
In a confusing move, Mizzi appears to have reasoned she was free to be an O’Connell witness because she did not support the GLA board majority and had not signed the petition for court protection. Mizzi testified under oath that she was harassed and even threatened by GLA members when she served as past president of GLA and got no protection. And because Mizzi did not receive protection back then, she stated ‘none is needed now’. (Note: It is a matter of public record that former board president Mizzi did call the sheriff for protection during one of the board meetings.) Gasps and groans were heard throughout the court room as attendees heard this testimony. And they did not end when Mizzi assured that there are lots of disruptive landowners at GLA meetings, not just the O’Connells. (Note: Mizzi lost her bid to serve as the GLA President to Riley in December, 2016 with a one-vote margin. Since then her undermining of Riley has become ever more blatant.)
Testimony for GLA focused on the need to protect board members and meeting attendees. GLA Landowner McCowan presented a three-month timeline (July, August, and September 2017) of how she has been harassed, poked in the back, stalked, and intimidated by the O’Connells. Board President Riley stated that it is virtually impossible to call the O’Connells to order at a meeting, and that since the O’Connells were named by the court as vexatious litigants, they are ever more disruptive and threatening at board meetings. Vice-President Dan Kehoe compared the escalation of the O’Connell disruptions to that of a frog being cooked slowly lest it jump out of the pot.
To make a case against GLA’s petition for protection, Valerie worked to separate her actions from Daniel’s, stating that it was Daniel, not her, who had made the threat to kill. She also attempted to get GLA witnesses to say they did not really know what the word “stalking” meant. The term “stalking” was used in the petition as one of the reasons protection was needed.
After numerous rapid-fire questions, interruptions, and other avoidance of court procedures, the Judge told Valerie to “knock it off.” The Judge also denied Valerie’s request for more time to present more witnesses, telling Valerie that she is the one who chose how to use the allotted time given to her.
For those listening in the court room, and for those left waiting outside as witnesses, most everyone agreed; it was a sad day for GLA.
Glastonbury Landowners For Positive Change
GLA asked for court protection after the September 11, 2017 board meeting when tensions between the O’Connell’s and the board and meeting attendees reached a boiling point. The pivotal moment was when Daniel O’Connell threatened to kill anyone who might attack his wife. As many have observed, the O’Connells are long-known for disrupting GLA meetings by repeatedly interrupting others, speaking out of turn, and refusing to return to order when requested to do so. The petition also stated that protection was needed because the intensity of the O’Connell’s disruptions has escalated since the court named them as Vexatious Litigants about two years ago.
At the beginning of the hearing, Judge Gilbert announced that each side would be given equal time in the two-hours allotted for the hearing. GLA President Dennis Riley, Vice-President Dan Kehoe and landowner Michelle McCowan spoke as witnesses for GLA. Vern Nye, Claudette Dirkers, Jeff Riederer and Tim Brockett waited in the hallway to be called as witness for GLA until time ran out. GLA Board member Charlotte Mizzi spoke as witness for the O’Connells, along with landowner Charles Barker and a Sheriff Deputy. Time constraints prevented Ed Dobrowsky and William Smith (actually a no-show) from testifying for the O’Connells. In total, about 30 GLA members attended the hearing.
In a confusing move, Mizzi appears to have reasoned she was free to be an O’Connell witness because she did not support the GLA board majority and had not signed the petition for court protection. Mizzi testified under oath that she was harassed and even threatened by GLA members when she served as past president of GLA and got no protection. And because Mizzi did not receive protection back then, she stated ‘none is needed now’. (Note: It is a matter of public record that former board president Mizzi did call the sheriff for protection during one of the board meetings.) Gasps and groans were heard throughout the court room as attendees heard this testimony. And they did not end when Mizzi assured that there are lots of disruptive landowners at GLA meetings, not just the O’Connells. (Note: Mizzi lost her bid to serve as the GLA President to Riley in December, 2016 with a one-vote margin. Since then her undermining of Riley has become ever more blatant.)
Testimony for GLA focused on the need to protect board members and meeting attendees. GLA Landowner McCowan presented a three-month timeline (July, August, and September 2017) of how she has been harassed, poked in the back, stalked, and intimidated by the O’Connells. Board President Riley stated that it is virtually impossible to call the O’Connells to order at a meeting, and that since the O’Connells were named by the court as vexatious litigants, they are ever more disruptive and threatening at board meetings. Vice-President Dan Kehoe compared the escalation of the O’Connell disruptions to that of a frog being cooked slowly lest it jump out of the pot.
To make a case against GLA’s petition for protection, Valerie worked to separate her actions from Daniel’s, stating that it was Daniel, not her, who had made the threat to kill. She also attempted to get GLA witnesses to say they did not really know what the word “stalking” meant. The term “stalking” was used in the petition as one of the reasons protection was needed.
After numerous rapid-fire questions, interruptions, and other avoidance of court procedures, the Judge told Valerie to “knock it off.” The Judge also denied Valerie’s request for more time to present more witnesses, telling Valerie that she is the one who chose how to use the allotted time given to her.
For those listening in the court room, and for those left waiting outside as witnesses, most everyone agreed; it was a sad day for GLA.
Glastonbury Landowners For Positive Change
