Prosecutor: Insufficient Evidence on Sea Isle Chief, Responding OfficersCape May County Herald
By Joe Hart
[Excerpts] According to the county Prosecutor’s Office, insufficient evidence exists to pursue criminal prosecution in the domestic violence case involving Sea Isle City’s Chief of Police William Kennedy. Prosecutor Robert Taylor announced Nov. 21 that his office concluded an internal affairs investigation into the Oct. 16 incident, in which Kennedy’s wife Phyllis filed a restraining order against the chief. According to a press release, the scope of this investigation was limited solely to the domestic violence incident and response by members of the Sea Isle City Police Department. In addition to clearing the chief, investigators found “no evidence of misconduct on the part of the responding officers”... According to the release, “specific details of the investigation cannot be released due to its status as internal affairs, however, the completed investigation is being returned to the City for review and whatever administrative and/or disciplinary action the City deems appropriate”... (Full article here)
Prosecutor's Office clears Kennedy
An independent investigation of the police chief ordered by Sea Isle City continues
The Press of Atlantic City
By BRIAN IANIERI 609-463-6713
November 22, 2007
[Excerpts] ...It is not the end of the investigation into Kennedy. Sea Isle City hired an independent investigator to determine if the chief violated any city policies or procedures and if the city should seek any administrative or disciplinary action following his wife's allegations... "It has been determined that at the present time there is insufficient evidence to pursue a criminal prosecution with regard to the domestic violence incident," [County Prosecutor Robert] Taylor said in a statement issued Wednesday. "Further, there is no evidence of misconduct on the part of the responding officers and that the procedures followed were consistent with the Attorney General's Guidelines on police response procedures in domestic violence cases"... Phyllis Kennedy said Wednesday she dialed Sea Isle City police one night in October after arguments with her husband. "I knew it was an internal thing, but my point when I went to the Prosecutor's Office was I didn't know what my rights were," she said. "They told me they would still investigate it due to the fact it was the chief of Sea Isle and it was his own men that were called to the scene"... Chief Kennedy could not be reached Wednesday. He has previously said he would not comment on allegations his wife made because of a court-order barring third-party communication with his wife... (Full article here)
Restraining orders police chief, wife filed are removed
ReplyDeleteThe Press of Atlantic City
By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, 609-463-6713
Published: Friday, November 30, 2007
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - The restraining orders Sea Isle City Police Chief William Kennedy and his wife, Phyllis, filed against each other were resolved Thursday during a closed-door Family Court proceeding, Phyllis Kennedy said.
The couple was in Superior Court Judge Kyran Connor's court following restraining orders they filed in October.
Chief Kennedy's lawyer, Beverly McCall, declined to comment Thursday on the court proceedings.
Phyllis Kennedy has said she filed her restraining order following arguments the couple had after she discovered explicit text messages and a graphic photograph on his city cell phone.
She has said those messages came from the phone number of a woman working under Kennedy's supervision.
Because of state law, the restraining order filed under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act against Sea Isle City's top law-enforcement official had an immediate impact on his job: He was not allowed to carry his firearm.
Early this month, Sea Isle City placed Kennedy on paid leave and hired Francis Cook, and independent investigator, to investigate the allegations his wife made and whether the city should seek any administrative or disciplinary actions.
That investigation is ongoing.
Kennedy remains on paid administrative leave during that investigation.
Last week, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office completed its own investigation, which concluded that there was nothing criminal relating to the restraining order his wife lodged against him. However, the scope of that investigation was limited to the domestic-violence restraining order and the local police response to a 911 call his wife made following an argument with her husband.
To e-mail Brian Ianieri at The Press:
BIanieri@pressofac.com
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/capemay/story/7519822p-7419617c.html
The Press of Atlantic City
Restraining orders police chief, wife filed are removed
By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, 609-463-6713
Published: Friday, November 30, 2007
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - The restraining orders Sea Isle City Police Chief William Kennedy and his wife, Phyllis, filed against each other were resolved Thursday during a closed-door Family Court proceeding, Phyllis Kennedy said.
The couple was in Superior Court Judge Kyran Connor's court following restraining orders they filed in October.
Chief Kennedy's lawyer, Beverly McCall, declined to comment Thursday on the court proceedings.
Phyllis Kennedy has said she filed her restraining order following arguments the couple had after she discovered explicit text messages and a graphic photograph on his city cell phone.
She has said those messages came from the phone number of a woman working under Kennedy's supervision.
Because of state law, the restraining order filed under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act against Sea Isle City's top law-enforcement official had an immediate impact on his job: He was not allowed to carry his firearm.
Early this month, Sea Isle City placed Kennedy on paid leave and hired Francis Cook, and independent investigator, to investigate the allegations his wife made and whether the city should seek any administrative or disciplinary actions.
That investigation is ongoing.
Kennedy remains on paid administrative leave during that investigation.
Last week, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office completed its own investigation, which concluded that there was nothing criminal relating to the restraining order his wife lodged against him. However, the scope of that investigation was limited to the domestic-violence restraining order and the local police response to a 911 call his wife made following an argument with her husband.
To e-mail Brian Ianieri at The Press:
BIanieri@pressofac.com
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/capemay/story/7519822p-7419617c.html