Oct 16, 2002 By Patty Shultz 3 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – The city and a member of the police department are listed as defendants in a lawsuit filed by a local man who claims he was falsely arrested and imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. Sherman Aldrich of 1820 Morrell Ave. is seeking in excess of $75,000 in damages from the city and Cpl. Ronald Haggerty Jr.

Connellsville Police Chief Stephen Cooper declined to comment on the legal action and referred questions to city solicitor Joseph Ferens, who said that he has received no information regarding the lawsuit.

“If the city is served, it will be turned over to the city’s insurance carrier for action,” he said Tuesday.

According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Aldrich, through his attorney, Louis M. Tarasi Jr., also charges the city and Haggerty with defamation of character and violating his constitutional rights.

Tarasi states that on Oct. 9, 2001, three individuals entered an Arch Street apartment occupied by Aaron Jeffries and Joni Showman and conspired to rob them of $600. One of the individuals allegedly threatened the couple and a 1-month-old child with a weapon.

Two of the individuals were positively identified, but the third man was known only as “Sherman.”

“On or about Oct. 10, 2001, Haggerty, without any positive identification and because Mr. Aldrich was the ‘new face’ in town, filed a police criminal complaint against (Aldrich),” Tarasi said in the suit.

Aldrich subsequently was charged with burglary, criminal conspiracy, robbery, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, simple assault, reckless endangerment and firearms not to be carried without a license, according to court documents.

Tarasi further added that Haggerty then filed an affidavit alleging that he identified the third accomplice as Aldrich, based on a description the victims had given him.

District Justice Robert Breakiron issued an arrest warrant Oct. 11, 2001.

The Monessen Police Department caught Aldrich on Oct. 18, 2001, and directed him to turn himself in to the Connellsville department the next day, when he was arraigned on the charges.

“Because of the severity of the charges Cpl. Haggerty alleged against Mr. Aldrich, the district justice set Mr. Aldrich’s bond at $30,000,” said Tarasi. “Consequently, Mr. Aldrich was sent to Fayette County Prison.”

An initial preliminary hearing was postponed due to a conflict of interest with the public defender who was representing Aldrich and another individual that was accused in the same crime. Breakiron delayed a second scheduled hearing in the matter.

The lawsuit states that during the first preliminary hearing, Jeffries informed Haggerty that Aldrich was not the individual that had entered the apartment or threatened them with the weapon.

“Cpl. Haggerty took no steps to free Mr. Aldrich upon learning of his mistake,” said Tarasi.

Aldrich was freed after a Dec. 18, 2001, preliminary hearing.

Tarasi stated in the court documents that Aldrich additionally lost an opportunity to gain employment at Sony Corp. because of his false incarceration and required medical treatment for anxiety.

The lawsuit states that Aldrich is seeking a jury trial in the matter.