Vernon official claims coercion

A Vernon Township official filed a 56-count lawsuit yesterday against the local police department, the mayor and others, claiming he was forcibly coerced into resigning from the township committee last year.

Vernon Committeeman Richard Carson claims he was forced to resign by the Vernon Township Republican Committee "by subjecting him to a coordinated campaign of threats, extortion, coercion, harassment and intimidation," according to the lawsuit.

Mayor Austin Carew, Patrolman David Hering and Vernon GOP committeewoman Andrea "Bunny" Cocula are named in the 28-page lawsuit, filed in Superior Court in Newton. Also named are the police department, Vernon Township and the Vernon GOP Committee, an arm of the Sussex County Republican Party.

According to the lawsuit, the scheme to oust Carson culminated in the parking lot of the township municipal building on Nov. 8 when Hering, who was on duty at the time, gave Carson four letters of resignation and demanded that Carson sign them immediately.

"Fearing for his personal safety and that of his family, and believing that he had no other choice," Carson signed the letters, according to the lawsuit, filed by Carson's attorneys, Daniel Perez and Kevin Kelly.

Hering then delivered the letters to Cocula, who watched the transaction from her vehicle that was parked in the lot, the lawsuit states.

"Defendants told plaintiff on repeated occasions over a period of months that he needed to "watch his back,' that there were "enemies' who were "out to get' him, that these individuals knew where he lived and worked, and would "find' him and "create problems' for him," the lawsuit states.

In April 2009, Hering was suspended from his job for "conduct unbecoming a public employee" following a department disciplinary hearing, according to the lawsuit.

Perez said Carson, who was elected to a four-year term in November 2007, was targeted because he was "acting independently" of the Vernon GOP and "exercising independence."...