(3/1) Town commissioner William B. O’Neil,
Jr. was denied a motion to dismiss allegations brought against him by former
Emmitsburg residents David and Donna Runkle.
The Runkles’ suit was filed in September
2006 against O’Neil along with Arthur Elder and Lisa Elder, and Jim Hess,
seeking compensatory and punitive damages totaling $2.7 million.
On Feb. 7, the U.S. District Court decided
that claims against O’Neil would not be dismissed despite his argument that he
was acting under the jurisdiction of his public office at the time. The court
said that even if O’Neil were acting as a public official, which is uncertain,
immunity is negated if he was acting with malice, which the Runkles “adequately
allege.”
Runkle claims that O’Neil acted
acrimoniously and with a desire to see his business fail. O’Neil is currently
being sued for tortuous interference with prospective advantage, malicious use
of process, and civil conspiracy.
Troubles first arose when Runkle filed for
bankruptcy after claiming that Chronicle Press Inc., a business he purchased
from Arthur Elder, had failed as a result of difficulties with Elder and
inappropriate investigation on the part of O’Neil.
A year after Runkle filed for bankruptcy a
complaint was filed against him by the U.S. Trustee Office, but was dismissed
after being reviewed.
“We filed motions to dismiss their lawsuit
because it was erroneous,” said David Runkle. “But I guess that’s not the case
from their point.”
Claims against property owner James Hess
will be “dismissed without prejudice” if the plaintiffs do not show good cause
otherwise within 14 days.
Read other news stories related to the Emmitsburg Town
Government
