Retired Albany Cop: David Soares Gave Me Vertigo

David Soares once called me a jerk-face. I'm SO taking him to court! (Photo credit: Times Union Archives)

Police officers are an underpaid and underappreciated bunch that are put in the direct line of fire – both figuratively and literally – and rarely given the same amount of attention when they do something right as when they do something wrong. It’s a dangerous and often thankless job. I can imagine, or hope, that due to the dangers and potential for scrutiny in the job that most due it out of a sense of civic duty or obligation.

Which is why I respect what police do. Honestly. Especially when they have to deal with the dangers presented in the streets. The vast majority of this don’t harp on the fact, though. You won’t hear them talking about how dangerous their job is or that they live in constant fear of answering a simple domestic call and having it end in tragedy, even though their job is dangerous and the very nature of it does put their lives on a precarious hinge.

Cops I’ve met can stand the public scrutiny, the dangers, and the often bad rep that comes with being an officer of the law.

But do NOT call them names.

“Albany County District Attorney David Soares is facing a personal injury lawsuit filed by two leaders of a law enforcement union who claim they suffered “mental anguish” from comments Soares made about them during the 2008 election cycle. 

The unusual lawsuit was filed last October by James F. Lyman, a retired Albany detective and executive director of Council 82, and Christian M. Mesley, an Albany police officer and president of Council 82. The two have clashed with Soares publicly for years and have openly supported opponents of the district attorney in the past two elections.”

…

It is very disingenuous and troubling that former law enforcement, people who are familiar with the criminal justice system, are out there perpetrating what is essentially a lie …” the lawsuit quotes Soares as telling a local television station.

Lyman and Mesley claim their “reputation in the community” and “standing in their profession” were injured. “Defendant Soares’ statement caused plaintiffs humiliation and mental anguish in their public and private life,” the lawsuit states.

So, let me get this straight. These two guys are retired cops. Albany cops.They’ve seen crimes, murders, etcetera. They’ve probably even seen a dead body. But then, they entered the rough and tumble world of politics, and it’s INFERRED that they might be –gasp- UNTRUTHFUL! That, apparently, is more than they can handle?

Okay, I get it. It’s sort of like that time Elliot Ness busted up those bootleggers, then burst into tears when a Chicago City Councilman called him a sissy. And who can forget the tale of those rough and tumble Earp boys, led by the rogueish gang buster Wyatt, who tamed Dodge City and then left because one of the town prostitutes made fun of the way one of them smelled.

Speaking of which, there are plenty of diseases you can catch from Albany politicians, but vertigo isn’t one of them.

I’m at a loss to see the side being presented as reasonable. Maybe I’m just not understanding something, or some very basic facts are being presented that I’m missing. However, I think it bears noting that I didn’t hold these two gentlemen up for public scrutiny or “ridicule” until they filed this lawsuit. How can you be publically ridiculed if the general public is generally unaware and/or apathetic towards you?

Sure, there’s two sides to every story. However, Brendan Lyons’s coverage on this particular story seems to cover all bases. So tell me, how is this lawsuit not frivolous? Regardless of which side you fall in concerning the issues these police addressed, how is what Soares said supposed to be inferred as damaging enough to warrant a lawsuit, let alone cause vertigo? People have said meaner things about me in the comments section of my blog, and I’ve been able to maintain my balance. Does this mean I should sue them? Also, am I going to get sued?

Oh God, I’m going to get sued, aren’t I?

WILL KEVIN MARSHALL GET SUED? WHAT WILL PEOPLE SAY IN THE COMMENTS TO MAKE KEVIN MARSHALL PHYSICALLY ILL? CAN HE MAINTAIN HIS BLOG? TUNE IN TOMORROW, SAME IN THE PRESENT TENSE TIME, SAME IN THE PRESENT TENSE CHANNEL!