LIBERTY Officials respond to suit

The e-mails contained 'several pages of comedic material that in no way threatened ... any individual,' the suit states.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Liberty Township officials deny that they invaded the privacy of one of their police officers.
In an answer filed with the Trumbull County Clerk of Courts, an attorney representing the township said officials did not invade Patrol Officer George Bednar's privacy.
The answer was filed in response to a lawsuit Bednar had filed last month. The suit is assigned to Judge W. Wyatt McKay.
Bednar could not be reached to comment. He seeks an amount in excess of $25,000, the suit states.
Township officials also state in their answer that they believe Bednar should have taken the matter to an arbiter before filing a lawsuit.
What happened: The suit states that on July 8, 2000, an off-duty Bednar sent electronic mail correspondences from his home to several friends at their homes. The e-mails contained "several pages of comedic material that in no way threatened the health, safety, or overall well-being of any individual," the suit states.
On July 17, Sgt. Richard Tisone of the Liberty Township Police Department made an official request to investigate the matter, contending the e-mails constituted a direct threat to his safety, the suit states.
The suit also notes that on July 17, Charles Morrow, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, was asked for "a legal opinion as to what charges were appropriate and for a subpoena of America Online records."
Morrow told Liberty Township officials that in his opinion no criminal activity was present in the e-mails and a subpoena would not be issued, the suit states.
On July 24, however, then-township Police Chief Michael Pilolli asked a member of the department to contact Prosecutor Robert Johnson of Girard Municipal Court and obtain a subpoena to recover America Online e-mail correspondences, the suit states.
Johnson agreed to issue the subpoena and investigate the matter. Without Johnson's knowledge, however, the department received information "that led to the determination" that Bednar was the originator of the e-mail, the suit states.
Bednar received a written reprimand that was made part of his permanent record, the suit states.