Ruling On Committeeman Assault Case Won't Come By Election

The judge hearing an assault case involving a Wyckoff Committeeman running for re-election next week said Monday that he will likely announce his findings in the case at the end of November.

The ruling means the complaint against Comitteeman Thomas Madigan will not be resolved until after the election. Madigan and his attorney are defending him against a complaint that he allegedly assaulted a 17-year-old boy at a Ramapo High School football game last year.

Debra Janiec, of Franklin Lakes, submitted a complaint last November that Madigan slapped her son at the

Madigan, however, testified the younger Janiec and a friend, Madigan said, were kneeing him in the back. Madigan said he told the boys to stop and Janiec punched him and jumped on him. Madigan said he then fell and his glasses were knocked off in the process.

"I was a volunteer helping out," Madigan said. "I was the one who was jumped. I was the one who was hurt."

Janiec testified that he had been drinking beer with friends before the game and said that Madigan was rude to two girls who wanted to get past him to go to the bathroom, so Janiec told him to let them by. It was then, Janiec said, that Madigan grabbed him by the shirt collar and the two fell down.

"I never laid a hand on him," Janiec said.

Janiec was suspended from school for drinking after the incident.

One bystander, Suzanne Van Doorne, testified that she was at her first football game after coming to America and happened to have a video camera with her, with which she shot what happened after the initial confrontation. Van Doorne's video, which was played repeatedly during the trial, shows Madigan and Janiec in the center of a crowd. Madigan appears to slap Janiec and then puts his glasses back on.

Several witnesses testified on Madigan's behalf, but only one, David Buchanan, said he saw the entire incident. Buchanan, however, said he could not see which of the students around Madigan hit him.

"Tom got punched in the face, knocked on the ground," Buchanan said.

Madigan's attorney, Raymond Flood, said that he could not be found guilty on the simple assault charge because Janiec never testified that the slap actually hurt. However, prosecutor Arthur Balsamo said the simple assault law also includes an attempt to cause injury.

After the trial, Madigan released a statement thanking those who supported him.

"I am grateful to my family, friends, and so many in the community for their support and look forward to continuing to serve Wyckoff," Madigan wrote.