From Here to Absurdity: Hurley Pols 'Timer Toss Incident Headed to Court - By Steve Ellman/Kingston Wire
Former Town of Hurley councilman Peter Humphries has filed charges against Town Supervisor Mike Boms over Boms'
Boms and Humphries have a history of political conflict, including Humphries' displeasure with the recently installed Boms' enforcement of a two-minute rule on speakers in the board's public comment period. So with a touch of high snark, when Humphries rose to say his piece he first whipped out the egg timer and, with a flourish, set it down before Boms where he sat.
Boms, sour-faced, let that pass. But when Humphries time was up, Boms picked up the gizmo and threw it at Humphries, striking him in the chest. Boms apologized, blaming his lost composure on what he took to be Humphries's bad-mouthing of recently hired full-time senior account clerk Wendy Trojak.
That wasn't enough for Humphries. By email, Ulster County Sheriff's Office First Sergeant Collin Reynolds told Kingston Wire:
“We did in fact take a report on this incident that led to a [charge of] harassment in the second-degree [a violation] being filed. Mr. Boms will be appearing in the Town of Hurley Court relative to this on a later date. As for the related case documents, we are unable to release any of this at this time due to it being an open and ongoing case and until a disposition has been reached by the court.”
Under New York State law, a person is guilty of harassment in the second degree when, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person:
1. He or she strikes, shoves, kicks or otherwise subjects such other person to physical contact, or attempts or threatens to do the same; or
2. He or she follows a person in or about a public place or places; or
3. He or she engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts which alarm or seriously annoy such other person and which serve no legitimate purpose.
If Boms wants to take this affair to even greater, more absurd depths, he might consider a countersuit on point three, given Humphries's long history of speakus interruptus at town meetings, a habit he readily acknowledges. That would turn on the legal definition of “no legitimate purpose” and would probably be a political loser.
Humphries, via Facebook PM, declined to comment. Boms was unavailable for comment. But Facebook posts from Hurley citizens are rich in disgust with the whole affair. And whoever wins the case — if it proceeds — it's not hard to see who loses.
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