Ex-Legislator Mejias Cleared

Former Nassau County Legis. David Mejias, D-Farmingdale, has been cleared of all charges stemming from a September incident involving his former girlfriend.

The former state Senate candidate indicated he has no immediate plans to seek elective office even though Nassau prosecutors dropped a reckless endangerment charge against Mejias on Friday. Stalking and menacing charges against the Democrat were dropped in December.

"In this case, the system worked," Mejias told Patch from his lawyer's office in Mineola Monday. "All the charges were completely dismissed and I have been vindicated."

Mejias was the Democratic candidate for the state Senate seat held by Kemp Hannon, R-Garden City, and was just days away from the Democratic primary at the time of the arrest.

The negative publicity caused him to drop out of the race and Hannon defeated Democrat Francesca Carlow.

Mejias maintained his innocence throughout and maintained the dispute that led to the arrest was not a lovers' quarrel.

"From the beginning, we've been saying this is not a stalking case," Mejias' lawyer, Oscar Michelen said.

"This was not an issue of a personal dispute between a former boyfriend and girlfriend. This was a business dispute. It was a chance encounter that began on a roadway. "

Mejias said the argument stemmed from a relationship he had with a supporter whose best friend was the ex-husband of the woman who filed the complaint against him. When the supporter suddenly decided not to make a planned donation to Mejias' campaign the candidate got into a shouting match with the woman when they ran into each other.

"We pulled over to the side of the road and I said, 'Look, I just need to know what you told this guy,'" he said.  

Mejias said he left when the woman's boyfriend started to intervene.  About four hours later, she filed a report and he was arrested later that evening.

Michelen said that Mejias' defense team moved quickly to dismiss the charges, insisting that stalking has to take place over a protracted period of time, not a brief encounter.

"This would be the shortest stalking case in American History," he said. "And it would be the only case in American history where the complaining witness would be calling the defendant before, during and after an incident."

In December the special prosecutor assigned to the case, offered to drop the charges if Mejias agreed to keep quiet about the case for six months until the final charge was dropped.

Mejias said he he plans to practice law and remain active behind the scenes in Democratic politics.

But when asked if  he planned to run for public office again, he said, "No I do not."

"I'm smart enough to never say never, but I don't think it's something I see in the future."

Given the takeover of county finances by a state watchdog group, Mejias said he doesn't miss his old job.

"When I watch what's going on with the county Legislature, I count my blessings that I'm not there," he said.