Sheriff’s deputy accuses superior of violence

County says no violation occurred

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — It was just a bit of horseplay that suddenly turned serious. That’s how sheriff’s deputy Jill Lynch and her husband, Charles Lynch, who is also a sheriff’s deputy, described her encounter with James Ginty, the captain at the Sullivan County Jail, on July 30. Jill and Charles both work at the jail.

Charles said that his wife was joking around with Ginty and, in a bit of ongoing banter, put her finger close to Ginty’s face and said, “Shush.” Ginty, who had been “going along” to this point, suddenly “…took her hand, twisted it and put her down on her knees,” said Charles. “She was screaming for him to let go. He did not. She attempted to bite him on his forearm, and that’s when he broke his hold.”

But, a source close to the situation had a much different version of events. He said Jill was never forced to her knees, and that Ginty only took her hand after she repeatedly shook her finger in his face and would not stop, even after being ordered to do so.

The encounter was followed by a visit to an urgent care center, and a doctor’s order, according to Jill, for her to stay away from work because she can’t use her hand. She’s not being paid while she’s out of work, and she said officials have told her that because the incident involved horseplay, she’s not eligible for a county benefit that she might have otherwise received.

The source said her wrist may require surgery, but that may be due to a pre-existing injury.

The couple and a friend, another sheriff’s deputy, met with this reporter at the government center on September 4 to tell their story.

In a subsequent phone conversation, Sullivan County Manager David Fanslau said that Dick Martinkovic, the county’s public safety commissioner, had conducted an investigation, and Martinkovic concluded that actions related to this incident did not violate the county’s workplace policy.

Fanslau also said that it’s up to Sheriff Mike Schiff to determine if disciplinary action is warranted to anyone on either side of the issue. He said this would be a personnel matter and thus would remain confidential.

Schiff said he could not comment on the particular incident because it involves an employee, but said that any time there is any allegation of wrongdoing within the department or outside of it, the allegation is thoroughly investigated, and appropriate corrective action is taken.