Somerville

Somerville Police Officer Wins $800,000 in Damages After Retaliation Verdict Against City Officials

by

Somerville, Mass. — A federal court jury in Boston has awarded Mario DiFronzo, a former police officer from the city of Somerville, a total of $800,000 in damages after finding the city and several former officials guilty of First Amendment retaliation and interference with an advantageous relationship. The decision, reached on Wednesday, came after DiFronzo alleged he was unfairly targeted by city leaders for whistleblowing on corruption within the police department. DiFronzo, who joined the Somerville Police Department in 2008, became known as a vocal critic of the department after voicing concerns over practices he … Read more

Somerville Teacher Files Lawsuit Against School District for Continuous Sexual Harassment by Security Officer

by

Somerville, NJ – A special education teacher from Somerville has taken legal action against the Somerville Public School District, claiming she endured ongoing sexual harassment carried out by a school security officer. The lawsuit was filed in Somerset County Superior Court on February 7 by the special education instruction assistant at Van Derveer Elementary School. According to the lawsuit, the security officer named George Fazio subjected the plaintiff to repeated harassment both inside and outside of school. Allegations include Fazio making unwelcome comments, sending unwanted text messages, following her to her car, writing love letters, … Read more