Kabot Files Notice, Might Sue Westhampton Beach

Former Town Supervisor Linda Kabot has filed a notice of claim against the village of as well as several village police officers following her acquittal earlier this year on a charge of driving while intoxicated.

The claim, reads a statement Kabot distributed Wednesday, “pertains to the traffic stop made on September 6, 2009, on Main Street in the village of Westhampton Beach and the subsequent arrest of Kabot for various alleged violations of New York State Penal Law and Vehicle and Traffic Law.”

Kabot was of DWI and failure to maintain a lane on February 4 after a Riverhead jury deliberated for about 90 minutes. She was, however, found guilty of failure to stop at a stop sign.

During the week-long trial, were aired with a flurry of statements that Kabot’s arrest was somehow tied to her political opponent Anna Throne-Holst’s campaign for supervisor and the Southampton Town Patrolman's Benevolent Association's support for Throne-Holst bid. Kabot lost the 2009 supervisor race to Throne-Holst.

Adding fuel to the conspiracy theory were four minutes of missing footage on the video of Kabot's arrest.

“This is a step that will preserve my rights in the event that I launch a civil lawsuit,” Kabot said in an interview Wednesday. “I have up to a year to file a lawsuit.”

Kabot says if she opts to file a civil suit, it would focus on any injury caused to her name, reputation, career as a public official and career potential.

In addition, the suit would explore the economic losses she suffered, including legal fees.

“This is not a false arrest claim,” Kabot said.

Westhampton Beach Mayor Conrad Teller said he could not comment on pending litigation.