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Domestic violence victim wants arsenal returned to her
YOUNGSTOWN
Haley A. Macovitz, whose husband, Larry, pleaded guilty to felony domestic violence against her, has sued Jackson Township police for the return of her 80-gun arsenal, which police said they seized to protect her; or, alternatively, for compensation for the seized guns, ammunition and military collector’s items.
Haley Macovitz, of South Lipkey Road, North Jackson, filed the civil lawsuit this week in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, demanding either the return of the guns, collectibles and thousands of rounds of ammunition, or compensatory damages for the items the suit says have a combined value of more than $75,000.
Rebecca Doherty, chief of the criminal division of the county prosecutor’s office, who prosecuted Larry Macovitz, said, however, she is opposed to the return of the guns to the Macovitz residence.
Doherty noted that Haley Macovitz had alleged her husband pointed a gun at her during their dispute.
Because of his felony domestic-violence conviction, Larry Macovitz is barred for the rest of his life from owning or using firearms, Doherty said.
The Macovitzes and their lawyer, Dennis A. DiMartino, could not be reached to comment.
The terms of Larry Macovitz’s probation require written permission from his probation officer before he may live in a place where guns or other deadly weapons or ammunition are securely stored.
After a counselor recommended the couple again be allowed to live together, Judge R. Scott Krichbaum, who had sentenced Larry Macovitz in the criminal domestic-violence case, vacated Oct. 14, his previous order that Larry Macovitz have no contact with his wife.
When he put Larry Macovitz on five years’ probation, including six months in jail, in October 2013, Judge Krichbaum ordered the arsenal forfeited to the Jackson Township Police Department, either for police use or to be destroyed.
Greg Taillon, Jackson Township police chief, declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Besides the township police department, the lawsuit lists as a defendant an unknown law-enforcement agency, which also has purportedly held some of the seized property.
When Haley Macovitz called township police to her residence because of the domestic dispute Aug. 23, 2013, police decided to remove the guns and ammunition she legally owned from her home, according to the civil complaint.
The suit says police took more than 50 modern firearms and 30 antique firearms and military uniforms, combat medals, badges, pins, insignia, knives and bayonets.
The suit says Haley Macovitz bought the collector’s items for transfer to her son when he reaches adulthood.
Also seized by police were compound bows, arrows, knives and other items used for big-game hunting. The suit is assigned to Judge Lou A. D’Apolito.