Suspended State Police Officer Involved In Danvers Bar Brawl

DANVERS, MA -- The bartender who failed to notify police after a fight at the Osborn Tavern last month is a suspended Massachusetts State Police officer who has since been fired from the tavern. Leigha Genduso was suspended without pay in February after an investigation revealed she had been involved in a drug dealing operation seven years before she was hired as a state police officer. Danvers Selectmen are in the process of reviewing last month's incident, which reportedly involved the friends of a drug dealer Genduso testified against in 2007 in exchange for immunity.

Last week Danvers Chief Patrick Ambrose told selectmen that a bartender -- now identified as Genduso -- ejected patrons following a July 5 brawl but failed to contact police. While an officer conducting a traffic stop near the bar responded to a report of an altercation, all of the involved parties denied that anything was wrong. But an investigation the following day by a Danvers Police detective showed a patron being thrown out of the Osborn, then another patron having to be dragged out. Another patron that got involved was tackled to the ground, Ambrose said.

Danvers's liquor licensing guidelines require license holders to contact police whenever a physical altercation takes place. Selectmen unanimously voted to schedule a public hearing with the tavern's owners.

Joel Hartnett, who owns the Osborn according to state records, has not responded to a request for comment. Genduso could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

During the July 4 fight at the Osborn, the manager sustained a concussion. The fight involved friends of Sean Bucci, Genduso's ex-boyfriend, who she dealt marijuana with in the early 2000's. In exchange for immunity, Genduso testified against Bucci, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison following his 2007 trial.

In a phone call to Patch, Bucci said he was not there the night of the fight and only heard about it the following day when it was reported by Howie Carr of the Boston Herald. Bucci said his friends claim his "un-indicted co-conspirator," Genduso, started the fight.

After her 2007 testimony, Genduso eventually got a job as a civilian State Police dispatcher and applied to become a state police officer in 2012. She was hired in 2014. In her application she disclosed that she had used marijuana in 1999 but did not disclose her role in Bucci's operation or conviction.

Genduso was dating Daniel Risteen, who was then a major with the State Police, when she applied to become an trooper. She was suspended in February, at the same time Risteen unexpectedly announced his retirement.

Note: An earlier version of this article implied that Bucci was involved in the fight. He was not present on the night of the incident.

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2014 photo of Leigha Genduso by Massachusetts State Police.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).