Former Cop Suing NJ Mayor For Calling Harassment Lawsuit 'Opportunistic' After Girls' Deaths

WESTFIELD, NJ — A former Westfield Police officer said he will sue the Town's mayor after she called his lawsuit for retaliation "opportunistic" in the wake of a recent tragedy in the area.

After being employed by the Westfield Police Department since 2015 and serving multiple bureaus, Matthew O'Holla says he "was compelled to resign" in August.

O'Holla filed a lawsuit on Oct. 3 after "three years of sustained retaliatory actions by Chief Christopher Battiloro" and those under his direct supervision after he reported sexual harassment in the workplace.

Battiloro is the uncle of Vincent P. Battiloro, 17 of Garwood, who is charged with double murder for the Cranford hit-and-run deaths of Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas on Sept. 29. Christopher Battiloro has since spoken out against the acts after rumors began circulating online about his connection to a suspect, saying he and his family are "absolutely heartbroken over this senseless loss of life."

In the days following the crash, Mayor Shelley Brindle told TapInto Westfield that she believed O'Holla was capitalizing on the connection between Battiloro and the Cranford attack.

"The Town will vigorously defend the lawsuit, which is clearly opportunistic in its timing and intended to undermine the credibility of Chief Battiloro," Brindle said, according to O'Holla.

In a new Notice of Claim filed with the Town, O'Holla said he will sue Battiloro and Brindle for conspiracy, defamation, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress after Brindle's comments.

He and his legal team called this "a knowingly false, defamatory and malicious statement... not offered as opinion, but as fact."

The claim states O'Holla sustained "permanent damage" to his "personal and professional good name and reputation," and "severe emotional distress." The monetary and other forms of damages O'Holla and his legal team are seeking are yet to be determined.

Brindle and Battiloro have not responded to Patch's request for comment.

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