Alleged Cryan stalker
avoids trial
Program requires
lobbyist to get counseling
and stay away from
legislator
JEFF WHELAN AND JOSH
MARGOLIN
Star-Ledger Staff (nj.com)
from the Web, May 5, 2006
The corporate lobbyist accused of
stalking Democratic State Committee Chairman Joseph Cryan was accepted into a
pretrial intervention program yesterday that requires her to receive counseling
and have no contact with Cryan for two years.
During a Superior Court hearing in Elizabeth yesterday, Judge John Triarsi
accepted Karen Golding's application into the PTI program, which allows
first-time nonviolent offenders to avoid criminal prosecution by agreeing to
court- ordered conditions.
The judge did not levy any fines against Golding or require her to perform
community service, common penalties in PTI cases. He did, however, order
her to stay 100 feet away from Cryan and the two other alleged victims, women
whom prosecutors describe as acquaintances of Cryan. She is accused of
making harassing phone calls and sending e-mails and letters.
"No telephone calls, no text messages, no e-mails, no smoke signals. It's
over," Triarsi said.
Golding, 36, who appeared in court wearing a green business suit, was silent
during the hearing and directed reporters' questions to her lawyer, Christopher
Patella, afterwards. Patella declined to describe Cryan and Golding's
prior relationship. He called yesterday's court action a "wonderful
resolution" and stressed that it involved no admission of guilt by Golding.
"It puts finality to this case, and ultimately at the end of the PTI period all
the charges against Karen Golding will be dismissed. And ... you can't get
a better result than a dismissal," he said.
Cryan, an assemblyman and Union County undersheriff, has declined to say whether
he had a romantic relationship with Golding. He also declined to comment
yesterday.
Gov. Jon Corzine yesterday requested that Golding step aside from two state
boards that she sits on, and his spokesman, Anthony Coley, said her presence
"would distract from the important work these boards do." Golding has
positions on the state Board of Dentistry and the Drumthwacket Foundation, which
raises money for the governor's mansion in Princeton.
Golding's case made headlines earlier this year after Corzine acknowledged he
had lent her $5,000 to bail her out of jail. (Her bail was actually
$50,000, her lawyer said, but she was released after posting 10 percent in
cash.) Golding had worked on Corzine's 2000 U.S. Senate campaign, and he
recommended her for a job at Prudential, where she worked until her arrest.
The Union County Prosecutor's Office, which began an investigation after Cryan
filed a complaint, supported her bid to enter PTI.
Prosecutors arrested Golding on Feb. 6 after they watched her enter Cryan's
unlocked car in the Statehouse parking garage in Trenton. Investigators
had her under surveillance at the time. She was charged with burglary and
fourth-degree stalking. They also allege she made harassing phone calls
and sent "alarming e-mails and letters" to Cryan, Patricia Rago and Kathleen
Conway.
"The prosecutor's office asked the court to allow the defendant to enter into
this diversionary program because all three victims wanted the judge to order
the defendant to receive treatment and counseling in this matter, as well as a
continuation of the no-contact order," Executive Assistant Prosecutor Robert
O'Leary said.
Golding was recommended five years ago by Corzine for a job at Prudential, where
she worked as a lobbyist and manager in the government relations department.
Before being arrested, Golding had recently been promoted to a director-level
position at the company. She and her family are well-known fixtures in the
tight-knit Irish-American community in Essex County, and in 2004 she was one of
two people honored as "outstanding individuals and successful professionals" by
the John F. Cryan Association, the nonprofit organization run by Joseph Cryan
that carries the name of his late father.
Patella sought to have Golding subjected to PTI for only one year, saying a
two-year enrollment would make it hard for her to get a job. But the judge
rejected that request, agreeing with prosecutors that two years was necessary to
ensure that Golding received the proper treatment recommended by a therapist.
Patella said Golding was recently forced out of her job at Prudential, where she
was a manager of government relations, and was now "on the verge of financial
ruin." He questioned Prudential's action after the hearing, telling
reporters, "There's a presumption of innocence, but it's corporate America."
Prudential spokesman Robert DeFillippo declined to comment, citing the company's
policy of confidentiality on personnel matters.
Richard McGrath, Cryan's spokesman, said: "This has been a very difficult
personal ordeal for a number of people that, hopefully, has come to an end with
today's decision by the court. Joe Cryan just wants everyone involved to
be allowed to move beyond this and get on with their lives."
Rago, one of the other alleged victims, said: "It was realistically the
only conclusion that could be there. I'm glad it's over."
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