Daniels files lawsuit in Nassau County court

East Rockaway resident Lisa Daniels, the Democratic challenger who lost decisively last week to incumbent County Legislator Howard Kopel (R-Lawrence) in the 7th Legislative District, announced just prior to the election that she has filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit in State Supreme Court in Nassau County against Kopel and several others on in connection with a political mailer that went in support of Kopel the last week of the campaign

The mailer claims that Daniels, an attorney, showed “poor judgment” when serving as a legal guardian of a 2-year-old boy, Charles Jonathan “C.J." Gooch, while she represented the boy’s mother, Casina Gooch, in a yearlong custody battle in Nassau County Family Court between C.J.’s parents that ended in November 2012 with Casina being awarded custody of her son.

Accompanied by a photo of 2-year-old C.J. Gooch, the flyer supporting Kopel said, “This is C.J. Gooch. He was an adorable 2-year-old. Lisa Daniels was his court-appointed guardian. C.J. is now dead. He was beaten to death after Daniels fought to move him to Georgia — away from his father and grandfather in Freeport. Her poor judgment allowed the little 2-year-old to be beaten and killed. Lisa Daniels didn’t do her job and failed to ensure that little C.J, was safe.

While in the care of Bradley Ballard, a friend of the mother’s, the boy fell off a bunk-bed ladder and hit his head, according to the Cobb County Georgia court record. When the mother could not wake the boy, he was taken to a hospital and placed in an induced comma. He later died. Bradley is being charged with involuntary manslaughter, cruelty to children in the second degree and reckless conduct.

Kopel denied that he had anything to do with writing or distributing the flyer.

“I didn’t send it,” said Kopel, adding the campaign “turned very, very nasty.” “It is not something from my campaign. We didn’t write it, didn’t pay for it, it is not my style.” Daniels apparently does not agree, filing the lawsuit on Nov. 4.

“I filed a defamation suit because I was defamed, no less than ten different versions were sent to district residents accusing me of poor judgment that led to the death of C.J.,” Daniels said. “What they did was unacceptable. It was done maliciously and with intent to hurt me in this campaign and in my career. They should not have done that and we will find out who did.”

The lawsuit avers, “That at the time the Defendant’s published the defamatory matter referenced above, they knew that it was false, or failed to take the proper steps to ascertain its accuracy and instead published it with reckless disregard of whether it was true or not. That, by publishing the information, the Defendants were motivated by actual malice and wrongfully and willfully intended by its publication to injure Ms.Daniels.”

Also named in the suit were Robert Tice, Kopel’s campaign treasurer; Challenge Graphics Services; CCC Consulting Group; Anthony Brancato and the Nassau County Republican Committee; the East Rockaway Republican Committee; Anthony Santino and John Does 1-10.

The suit seeks a retraction and $100 million in damages.