NJ Couple Awarded $2.84M for Harassment

June 12, 2008

Secaucus, NJ—A Secaucus gay couple who endured years of threats and harassment from volunteer firefighters have been awarded $2.84 million in a civil rights suit against the town.

When Peter de Vries, 55, and Timothy Carter, 45, bought their dream house they knew it was beside a fire hall, but figured they'd get used to the occasional noise from the sirens as the volunteer firefighters raced to a blaze.

What they hadn't counted on was the homophobic attitude at the the North End Firehouse once the crew realized the new neighbors were gay.

In their suit de Vries and Carter alleged harassment, discrimination, retaliation, negligence and violation of state civil rights laws.

It named the fire department, the town, the police department, Fire Chief Frank Walters, Town Administrator Anthony Iacono, Mayor Dennis Elwell and 30 unnamed individuals as defendants.

In one incident firefighters were having a "boisterous" party outside the fire hall. The couple asked them to quiet down and the firefighters retaliated by throwing rocks at their house and issuing death threats to the men, according to the suit.

Complaints to the town went unanswered the suit said, and the couple eventually sold the house and moved out of town.

It was a mob attack and then the town government gathered around to protect the perpetrators, the couple's attorney, Neil Mullin, told the Star-Ledger.

Mullin told the paper that he will refer the case to the state Attorney General's Office and to the U.S. Attorney's Office for a possible criminal obstruction case.

Attorneys for the town have declined to comment on the jury ruling and there could be an appeal.

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