Officer involved in Hodge case fired
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May 22—The city of Lockport has fired one of four police officers involved in the June 16, 2019 incident that led to the death of Troy Hodge.
The action comes despite a recent ruling by a New York State Supreme Court justice that barred the city from taking disciplinary action against those four officers.
The firing of Officer Marissa Bonito was confirmed Friday night by her former defense attorney, Paul Cambria.
"That's what I was told," Cambria said. "There's really no reason for it. There's no basis to fire her at all. She's done nothing wrong."
Cambria, who represented Bonito during an investigation of Hodge's death by New York Attorney General Letitia James., said he is not involved in employment related matters involving her of the other officers.
"No, that's being handled by the lawyer from their union," Cambria said.
Bonita's firing reportedly came after State Supreme Court Justice Frank Caruso granted an injunction barring Police Chief Steven Abbott and the city form taking any disciplinary action against Bonita, fellow Officers Daniel Barrancotta, and Patricia Burdick and Lt. Dave Pytlik in connection with the death of Hodge.
The firing of Bonita reportedly was the result of an action taken during a closed-door session of the city's Police Board.
The city had attempted to bring departmental disciplinary charges against the four officers involved in the Hodge incident. However, Caruso ruled that officials had waited too long.
The disciplinary action came 21 months after Hodge's death, following the Attorney General's decision not to bring criminal charges in the case. Caruso said that under the police union's contract with the city, such charges had to be brought within 10 days of the incident.
The city has appealed that ruling.
The officer's union, the Hickory Club Police Benevolent Association, led the challenge to the city's attempts to impose discipline on the officers. The PBA Attorney, Keith P. Byron, could not immediately be reached regarding Bonita's firing.
