A New Jersey judge is turning to community mediation to try to resolve the case of a middle school vice principal who threw beer at people who were filming his.
The vice principal of a New Jersey middle school who tossed beer at a group of people filming his wife rant against a transgender women s bathroom is accusing the people who got hit with the beer of harassment.And the people who got hit wi…
In an email to The Associated Press days after the incident, Smurro apologized for his actions, and said he should have just walked away from the situation. He did not respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday.
Gina Brunner, administrator of Galloway s municipal court, said Smurro filed harassment complaints against Debra and Robert Harris, and Elaine Nelson, whose hometowns were not immediately available.
Those people have also filed harassment charges against Smurro; all the claims will be the subject of a hearing on Thursday, Brunner said.
A complaint filed by two other people who say they were hit by the beer thrown by Smurro, Carolyn DiPietro and Christopher Benino, was rejected after Municipal Court Judge Howard Freed determined there was not probable cause to sustain the charge.
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A New Jersey judge ordered that the four individuals involved in a viral April incident involving a rant about transgender people and beer being tossed attend community mediation.
Galloway Township Municipal Court Judge Howard Freed sent the cases to mediation on Thursday. Three people accused Michael Smurro, the principal of Neptune Middle School, of throwing beer at them during an April 24 confrontation and have filed harassment claims against him. Smurro responded with harassment claims of his own.
Video of the incident shows Smurro s wife, Lisa Smurro, complaining to restaurant staff that a transgender woman had been allowed to use the women s bathroom. Under New Jersey law, restaurants are required to allow people to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity.
In an email to The Associated Press days after the incident, Smurro apologized for his actions, and said he should have just walked away from the situation. He did not respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday.
Gina Brunner, administrator of Galloway s municipal court, said Smurro filed harassment complaints against Debra and Robert Harris, and Elaine Nelson, whose hometowns were not immediately available.
Those people have also filed harassment charges against Smurro; all the claims will be the subject of a hearing on Thursday, Brunner said.
A complaint filed by two other people who say they were hit by the beer thrown by Smurro, Carolyn DiPietro and Christopher Benino, was rejected after Municipal Court Judge Howard Freed determined there was not probable cause to sustain the charge.