Peter Tulin filed a notice of claim against the City, the City Police, Saratoga County and the Saratoga County Sheriffs Dept today at the 11th hour just 2 days before the expiration of the ninety day time-line necessary to preserve the Lickwola families right to file a formal lawsuit against the authorities.
Meredith Lickwola, the 38-year-old Schuylerville woman, died after she stopped breathing in the city lockup on St Patrick’s night. Circumstances surrounding her arrest, detention and death have been at best murky and at worst nefarious since she was found dead in her cell.Police as can be expected claim that they acted in a proper and ethical manner in her transport, incarceration and detention and that all official protocols were followed the night of her death, blaming her demise on ether an act of god or poor lifestyle.
We at Saratoga in Decline applaud Mr. Tulin for filing this notice and hope this will be just the first step in filing a substantial monetary lawsuit against all involved parties. Just at tonight’s City Council meeting I heard Police Chief Cole tell the Council that the first responsibility of Public Safety is to protect the public. I can only hope he truly means that and will try to get to the truth of what happened to Meredith.
The blue code of silence { The Blue Code of Silence (or Blue Wall of Silence) is a unwritten rule among police officers in the United States not to report on another colleague's errors, misconducts or crimes. If questioned about an incident of misconduct involving another officer (e.g. during the course of an official inquiry), if following the Blue Code of Silence, it would be standard procedure to claim ignorance or lie} is alive and well in this City and Chief Cole will have to decide if he is on the side of truth or the PBA.
The sad part of this is what will be done to the memory of Meredith Lickwola. Friends and relatives of police officers will start a campaign to drag the poor women threw the mud. The police have a strong and vocal following in this town that will do anything to protect the status quo in the Police Dept and might even use her death to justify more overtime and the hiring of more cops.
We may never know what truly transpired the night of her death. Did she tell officers she was ill? Did she ask to see a doctor? Did anyone check on her at all, or did they just find her cold dead body on the floor of her tiny dirty cell? The police will never tell you the truth. Hell if it was up to the cops they be handing out medals.
So good luck Mr. Tulin, and to the public remember the Police only have the final say if you let them. In the end negligence and the determination of guilt or wrongful death is not a decision for the Police or the Cities Insurance carrier, for it is reserved for a jury of our peers. Free of police, relatives of police or retired police and based on the facts presented to them and not just the white washed facts presented by the police.
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Saratoga County family to sue over jail inmate’s death
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
By Tatiana Zarnowski
Gazette Reporter
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The family of a woman who stopped breathing in a city jail cell and died has announced its intention to sue the city, county and two police departments.
Through their attorney, Meredith Lickwola’s three children filed a notice of claim Tuesday in the state Supreme Court in Saratoga County alleging their mother’s pain and suffering and wrongful death on March 18.
Lickwola’s oldest daughter, Sabrina Marie McIntyre, 20, is the administrator of her mother’s estate. The 38-year-old Schuylerville woman also left behind an 8-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son.
They named the city, Saratoga County, city police and the county sheriff’s department.
“Although the attending officers were aware of the mental and physical condition and history of the deceased, Meredith Lickwola, they did not provide adequate examination or screening to determine her medical, physical and mental condition at the time she was placed in the female holding cell,” the notice states.
Lickwola was picked up by police early March 18 after she called the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department to report a break-in at her home. Later she told deputies that someone had stolen two prescription medications as well as $350.
The medications were Lyrica and Klonopin.
Lyrica is an anti-convulsant medication used for nerve pain from fibromyalgia, diabetes and shingles and for partial seizures in adults. It can also be used to treat generalized anxiety disorder.
Klonopin is used to treat seizure disorders and panic disorders and is in the same drug class, benzodiazepines, as Valium and Xanax.
The inmate death report filed with the state Commission of Correction said she was 5-foot-2 and weighed 170 pounds, she had a history of drug use and she was under psychiatric care.
A 911 report filed by the sheriff’s department said Lickwola told police it was her crack cocaine dealer who broke in, asking for money she owed him.
Deputies picked her up on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in jail on a misdemeanor petty larceny charge.
She was put in the female holding cell at 2:30 a.m., and Lt. Linda Quattrini checked on her about every 30 minutes, according to police records.
When Quattrini checked on Lickwola at 5:47 a.m. Lickwola was not breathing, according to a log report. Lickwola had been asleep for at least an hour beforehand.
She was pronounced dead at Saratoga Hospital at 6:50 a.m. after authorities tried in vain to revive her.
The cause of her death still has not been determined.
The notice also alleges Lickwola was “unlawfully and/or improperly arrested and detained, improperly attended to and cared for, improperly… interviewed, examined and screened, improperly placed in an unsafe, unsupervised, unsurveilled [un-videoed] female holding cell.”
The male holding cells are under video surveillance, and male dispatchers or male supervising officers can watch prisoners. But because there are few female supervisors in the police department, the female cell is not under video supervision, police Chief Christopher Cole has said.
Prisoners of both sexes are checked in person at least every 30 minutes under state law, regardless of whether they’re also checked by video.
Attorney Peter Tulin represents Lickwola’s family.
Hopefully the officer that took his own life a couple of days ago was not influenced by this lawsuit. RIP
When former Chief Moore sued because Erin Dwyer hurt his feeling and
the bathroom 8, the female officer who sued because they didn’t like their powder room,
the Police themselves have lowered the bar for filing lawsuits against the City
What cop killed himself?
everyone wants a big payday at the city's expense (my tax dollars). Maybe her crack dealer should sue the city for lost income. Maybe Clancy's should follow suit because of Ryan. It is sad that these people died but how are the families entitled to a big payday due to poor choices. The city police force cannot tell when someone is going to die, all they can do is play by the rules. What's next? someone suing the fire dept because their house started on fire. Maybe I should sue the city because watching the council in action (inaction) has caused me great pain and suffering.
Meredith?????????? I've known her all my life. With her kind of lifestyle, it was just a matter of time. Sad, but true!
The deceased officer was a retired officer.
I hereby serve notice of intent to sue the city of Saratoga Springs for the pain and sufering incurred while watching Val Keehn and Ron Kim at the City Council meetings.
Am I too late?
Let's see...A 38 year old woman calls in Schuylerville calls 911 to report a domestic incident...Less than 5 hours later she is dead in the Saratoga Springs jail...She called for help not extermination.
Who she was, what she was, what she had for lunch? Who cares. Who but those complicit in her demise would insult her memory or her children? Did she have SIDS (sudden inmate death syndrome?)
The officier that committed suicide was NOT a retire cop. He was still active and very young!
Keith Joseph Pellegri
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Keith Joseph Pellegri, of Saratoga Springs, died unexpectedly Tuesday, June 15, 2010.
He was 42.
Born July 25, 1967, in New Rochelle, he is survived by his wife, Doreen M. (Collins) Pellegri; his son, Andrew; his daughter, Alexandra; his parents, Joseph and Nicoletta (Masterjoseph) Pellegri; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Terri-Lynn Pellegri and Joel Moss and Robin and Ed Brown; a niece and nephew, Anne and Christopher Brown; his mother- and father-in-law, Corrine and Tom Collins; a brother-in-law, Joseph Collins; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Keith joined the Saratoga Springs Police Department on Feb. 3, 1991, and retired from the force on Dec. 19, 2009. A loving father and husband, he loved spending time with his children and volunteering at their school. He will be truly missed by all who knew him.
Relatives and friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, June 18, 2010, at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 584-5373.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, June 19, 2010, in St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 167 Milton Ave., Ballston Spa.
Burial with departmental honors will follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery, West Avenue, Saratoga Springs.
Memorials may be made to the Pellegri Children’s College Education Fund through any branch of the Adirondack Trust Company (the main office is at 473 Broadway) Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.
Are you kidding me a GED holder, with outstanding warrants and a history of Drug use !!!!
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