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October 3, 2007

Court fires clerk who threw away 'vital' documents

PROVIDENCE -- A clerk in the District Court clerk's office in Providence, accused of putting vital documents into a recycling bin instead of the appropriate court file, has been fired, a state judiciary spokesman said.

State police detectives arrested James F. Patterson, 45, of 2 Homestead Avenue, Warren, yesterday for obstruction of the judicial system and attempted vandalism (obstruction of lawful pursuits), according to the Rhode Island State Police.

At an administrative hearing today, Magistrate Joseph P. Ippolito recommended to Chief Judge Albert E. DeRobbio that Patterson, who had union representation at the hearing, be terminated from his job and Delrobbio concurred, spokesman Craig Berke said.

Placement of the files in the recycling bin "could have resulted in adverse actions against the parties involved," the state police said in a press release today.

Patterson is alleged to have put "several" civil documents related to garnishments in the recycling bin, state police Capt. Stephen J. Lynch explained.

"They're documents vital to the court proceedings," Lynch said.

Patterson was arrested after a one-week investigation, which included video surveillance and was corroborated by witness accounts, the state police said.

He has been suspended with pay pending a disciplinary hearing today, said Craig Berke, a court spokesman.

The obstruction of the judicial system charge is a felony punishable by up to five years in jail and a $5,000 fine. The attempted vandalism charge is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $10,000 fine.

Patterson was arraigned yesterday before Judge Michael Higgins and released on $10,000 personal recognizance. A prearraignment conference has been scheduled for Dec. 3 and a Superior Court arraignment has been scheduled for Dec. 10.

-- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Jack Perry

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 5:07 PM | Permalink

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