Deceased Mahwah DPW Director's Estate Files Lawsuit Against Mayor And Police Chief: Report

MAHWAH, N.J. — A lawsuit claims that Mayor Bill Laforet and Police Chief James Batelli waged a malicious campaign against Edward F. Sinclair in retaliation for Sinclair’s attempt to unseat Laforet in 2012, and ultimately caused his death last August, The Record reported.

The report did not specify what compensatory and punitive damages Sinclair’s estate and wife, Jackie, are seeking. However, a November 2015 report said that the estate intended to file a $20 million wrongful-death legal claim against the township.

Related: Late Mahwah DPW Director's Estate To File $20M Wrongful-Death Claim

Laforet and Batelli, who acted either together or in concert with others, caused an anonymous letter to be sent to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office claiming that Sinclair “engaged in the viewing of child pornography and pornography on Department of Public Works computers during and after work hours,” the report said, quoting the lawsuit.

The 12-count lawsuit was filed in Newark federal court in March and was amended in April, the report said; it names the township, Laforet, Batelli, and two unidentified “John Does” as defendants, the report stated.

Prosecutor’s Office investigators seized three DPW computers in February 2015 but found that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing, and that pornography or child pornography was found on any of them.

Laforet gave Sinclair a termination notice anyway March 9, 2015.

Ten days after Sinclair was suspended, a Mahwah police officer assigned to independently investigate the matter by Laforet and Batelli reported that there was no basis to support the allegations against Sinclair, according to the suit, the report stated.

In a standing-room only meeting, the council voted to reinstate Sinclair as DPW director.

Related: Ed Sinclair, Mahwah DPW Director Found Dead In His Home

Sinclair died of a massive heart attack in his home Aug. 13, 2015. Sinclair had worked for the DPW for nearly 28 years and was a volunteer fireman and little league coach. He unsuccessfully ran against Laforet in the 2012 mayoral election.

Laforet could not be immediately reached for comment.

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Ed Sinclair — Patch file photo