Elected Official, Trenton Cop's Widow May Sue City For Wrongful Death

The widowed spouse of an elected official and Trenton Police officer who killed himself amid an investigation into alleged misconduct is considering a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Trenton, the Trentonian reports.

Rene Pistilli-Leopardi recently filed a tort claim notice saying she has “suffered economic damages and noneconomic damages related to pain and suffering, and anguish and emotional distress,” according to the report. She claims she is entitled to punitive damages.

She also accuses the city of invasion of privacy, false light and defamation for allegedly leaking information to the press about an internal investigation into her husband, Ed Leopardi, according to the report.

In addition to serving as a Trenton Police officer, he was a township committeeman in Franklin Township, Gloucester County. He was also the former mayor of that township.

He killed himself on Wednesday night, Sept. 21, one day after Trentonian identified Leopardi as an officer who was under investigation for allegedly having sex with a prostitute at the Trenton Police Department’s K-9 training facility.