Retired Suffern cop Lance Weinstein eyes defamation lawsuit vs Osborn, Curley in feud

SUFFERN ‒ Retired village police Officer Lance Weinstein and former Suffern Police Chief Clarke Osborn could be banging heads again in court.

Weinstein has filed a notice of claim in New York State Supreme Court in New City that his attorneys plan to file a civil lawsuit against Osborn, Mayor Michael Curley, and the village of Suffern.

Weinstein claims Osborn, now a Suffern government trustee, and Curley defamed him with a Facebook posting of an Orangetown Police Department incident report claiming Weinstein inappropriately touched a female patron while working security at the Pearl River Saloon on March 31.

An Orangetown police investigation soon found the incident didn't occur as originally reported to police. The woman supposedly was drunk when Weinstein removed her from the bar, according to the police report. Weinstein was not charged.

Osborn made the Facebook post on May 31, according to the notice.

In the matter of the claim of Lance Weinstein against Village of Suffern by The Journal News on Scribd

Weinstein and Osborn have had past conflicts

Osborn and Curley denied the accusations of defamation made in the notice of claim, filed on June 28 by Weinstein's attorney, Donald Feerick of Feerick Nugent MacCartney in South Nyack. A person must notify the municipality before filing a lawsuit. No responding legal papers have been filed in state Supreme Court.

Weinstein and Osborn have had past legal conflicts, including when Weinstein served under Osborn on the Suffern Police Department. Weinstein also has sought documentation under the New York State Freedom of Information Law involving Osborn; Osborn's son, Suffern Sgt. William Osborn; and others.

Weinstein's notice of claim accuses Osborn of branding him "a criminal who sexually assaulted a woman."

The notice claims Osborn intentionally omitted that an investigation had been completed by April 4 without any finding of inappropriate touching or other criminality.

"Trustee Osborn, acting solely with malice, intentionally published a report that was likely to expose Mr. Weinstein to public contempt, ridicule, aversion, disgrace, and to induce an evil opinion of him in the minds of right-thinking persons," the notice claims.

Weinstein claims he's been targeted for his outspokenness against village government policies. He recently ran unsuccessfully for the Board of Trustees and had supported candidates against Curley and his running mates.

Osborn: 'What's good for the goose ...'

Osborn said Tuesday that he posted on Facebook a legally obtained police incident report under the state FOIL law.

Osborn said he never received the investigative report from the Orangetown police in his FOIL request. He said he didn't alter the report, letting the contents speak for themselves. Osborn said Weinstein has posted documents about him and other people.

"He keeps immersing himself into my life and my family," Osborn said. "I don’t want anything to do with him. All I did was post a legally FOILed document."

Osborn said one reason he posted the police incident report was to "show what's good for the goose is good for the gander."

At the moment, Osborn and Curley are being represented by Village Attorney Terry Rice, who declined comment.

Osborn currently works as security director at Rockland Community College. Since his retirement in 2020 after three decades as a cop, he also worked for an Orange County police department. He's a former Suffern Board of Education member.

Curley says he reposted as a citizen, not mayor

Curley got involved by defending Osborn on Facebook and reposting Osborn's original posting on multiple Facebook pages, starting on May 31.

Curley said Tuesday that he acted as a citizen, not as mayor, and what Osborn posted was accurate.

"I think it's a false claim and we will fight it vigorously," Curley said of Weinstein's notice. "I think it’s the same old nonsense from Lance Weinstein. Weinstein has falsely accused Clarke Osborn and his family before. Weinstein is having a war against Osborn."

Curley said he won't back down to Weinstein.

"I don't fear bullies," the two-term mayor said.

Weinstein's notice of claim states he would seek a verdict for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and relief. He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and attorney fees.

Weinstein "reasonably believes that, at trial, a judge or jury, would award him a sum not to exceed Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) as fair and just compensation for his injuries. However, the extent of actual damages is uncertain at this time."

Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com Twitter: @lohudlegal

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This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Retired cop puts Suffern NY mayor, former chief on notice for lawsuit