Sisson Gets Probation Guilty to Motor Vehicle Homicide Ran Over Companion on Old Bedford Road
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ShorelinesShorelinesWestport eastbayri.com THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014 VOL. 20, NO. 29 $.75 White pleads Sisson gets probation guilty to motor vehicle homicide Ran over companion on Old Bedford Road BY BRUCE BURDETT [email protected] A Westport woman will spend three years and a day in state prison after pleading guilty in Fall River Superior Court Mon- day to running over and killing a man in Westport on April 23, 2012. Hazel Teague White, 48, of 8 Williams St., W estport, accepted a plea deal on a charge of felony motor vehicle homi- RICHARD W. DIONNE JR. cide, driving Jack Sisson confers with his attorney, Emile Morad, before sentencing Friday morning. under the influence of Hazel Teague alcohol, White involving the Former highway surveyor sentenced for tractor heist death of John Monsam, 67, of Sutton, Mass. BY BRUCE BURDETT Westport investigators said the [email protected] two were returning from Twin WESTPORT — Although the River Casino in Rhode Island prosecutor thought jail time was when Mr. Monsam got out of the deserved, former Westport High- car on Old Bedford Road at way Department Surveyor Harold Adirondack Lane at about 4:30 "Jack" Sisson was instead sen- p.m. Moments later the car, dri- tenced Friday to two years of pro- ven by Ms. White, slammed into bation, 40 hours of community him and knocked him to the service and a no-trespass order at ground. the town highway yard. Mr. Monsam suffered a severe That sentence, delivered in Fall head injury and was rushed to River District Court by Judge Rhode Island Hospital. He Julieann Hernon, came a day after remained in a coma there for two a jury found Mr. Sisson guilty of weeks before dying of his injuries. felony larceny over $250 for trad- Westport Detective Tony Ces- ing in a town-owned Cub Cadet todio said that a witness told lawn tractor and its attachments investigators that the car drove and then arranging for that trac- off the roadway and onto the tor to be given to his Highway sidewalk, striking the victim. Department mechanic, John Police also said they learned that Kennedy. The Cub Cadet tractor where it was found alongside a garage at mechanic John Kennedy's house. The trac- the two had been arguing before tor had a hydraulic feature (lines still attached) which ran the plow and mower deck. The mower had 423 See SENTENCE Page 3 hours on the hours meter. See HOMICIDE Page 2 Barn dance Lands Trust invites you to ‘the event of the summer’ July 26 PAGE 7 Page 2 Westport Shorelines July 17, 2014 Shark tourney dedicated to memory of Steven James This year's 28th Monster Shark Shark Tournament. Tournament, moving from Oak "Steve felt really welcomed by Bluffs to Newport, will be held in Newport" said Debbie James, Mr. memory of Steven James who James' aunt. "When he called the died last January at age 53 in a family, there was always some- duck hunting accident in West- thing new and exciting to tell port. about Newport for the tourna- Mr. James of Marshfield and ment … He was so proud of this Robert Becher, tournament. He was particularly 55, of proud that he was able to insti- Cromwell tute the highest weight limits, Conn., died in making this more a catch and frigid water release tournament." when the small The tournament will take place aluminum Friday, July 17-20 at Casey's Mari- boat in which na in Newport. The public is iin- they were rid- vited to attend for the weigh-ins, ing swamped and there will also be information Steven James off Tripp's Boat from speakers on the different Yard on a types of sharks, their habits and windy morn- habitat," added Ms. James. ing. Gregg Angell, then 51, of Rick Bellevance, president of Westport was rescued after mak- the Rhode Island Party and Char- ing his way to low-lying Cory's ter Boat Association, said, "We Island. recognize Steve's contribution to Mr. James had served as presi- running a responsible, sustain- dent of the Stellwagon Bank able tournament which has con- Charter Boat Association as well tributed information to better as Boston Big Game Fishing and understanding shark migration was a founder of the Monster and habits." HOMICIDE: Woman gets three years for running over man hours. From Page 1 Det. Cestodio said that family members of the victim spoke at Mr. Monsam was struck. the sentencing. He said the widow In earlier proceedings, Ms. of the victim asked that Ms. White White's attorney denied that the serve her term in state prison, not car had struck the victim on the county jail, an outcome that the sidewalk and characterized the court agreed to. incident as a tragic accident, "not In addition to jail time she was an intentional striking." sentenced to six-year loss of Westport police said that Ms. license. White appeared intoxicated, Handling the case for the state failed two field sobriety tests and was Assistant District Attorney refused a Breathalyzer test. They Maryclare Flynn. added that she admitted to drink- Ms. White had worked in West- ing three wines in the preceding port for the US Postal Service. Photos of events, people, etc. available for purchase at eastbayri.com Westport Shorelines July 17, 2014 Page 3 SENTENCE: Sisson gets probation for tractor larceny more. From Page 1 "To say that he was acting in the best interest of the town is Assistant District Attorney absurd … Route 146 Supply Michael Callihane argued for a offered $100 dollars to the Town stiffer sentence — two years with of Westport for all of this equip- six months to serve, two years pro- ment then transported it and bation, a no-trespass order and gave it on the same day to anoth- 100 hours of community service. er Highway Department employ- The crime and Mr. Sisson's ee for free — sounds like a terri- record warranted prison time, Mr. ble business deal for the town," Callihane said. Det. Majewski said. "This is a clear case of public He added that it was indicative corruption," the DA said. An elect- of how seriously the state took the ed official abused his position to matter that it assigned one if its deprive the town of its own prop- top prosecutors to the case for the erty and to give that that tractor duration. "to a friend, colleague and subor- The testimony of present town dinate." Highway Surveyor Chris Gon- Although Mr. Sisson had argued salves was considered critical by that the used tractor was worth lit- both defense and prosecution. tle and was no longer needed, Mr. Questioned by Mr. Morad, Mr. Callihane said that, with attach- Gonsalves during the trial called ments, it was worth over $2,000 — Mr. Sisson (his former a significant piece of property." supervisor) "a great person, a And there were other items tak- great man." en, the DA said, things brought up But he also testified that he had in pre-trial but not brought up in alerted police about his concerns trial, that should figure into sen- PHOTOS BY RICHARD W. DIONNE JR. for the way items were being tencing. removed from the Highway Prosecutor Michale Callihane tells the judge that six months to serve is fitting punishment for Mr. Sisson. By entering into an invalid con- Department. tract with 146 Supply Center (the "Gonsalves was actually the Massachusetts company to which twist in the case. He was the one Mr. Sisson sent the items), he who initially reported the theft to effectively cost the town $10,000, police," Det. Majewski said. Mr. Callihane said, at a time that In fact, on the October, 2012, towns are struggling to make ends day Mr. Gonsalves called police, meet. officers went out and found What's more, Mr. Sisson had a another truck being loaded with record of private disposal of pub- town equipment, Det. Majewski lic property, one that former Town said. Administrator Jack Healey had The tractor and other town- tried to deal with, Mr. Callihane owned equipment were found by said. investigators outside Mr. "One of (Mr. Healey's) first Kennedy's Westport Forge Road orders of business was to sit down residence. with the defendant" and try to Mr. Kennedy subsequently correct the problem, the DA said. admitted to the facts of the case, "(Mr. Sisson) chose to ignore was placed on probation and that and run his deportment as a resigned from his Westport job, fiefdom … (and) engage in back Both he and Mr. Sisson still face a room deals … under the cover of charge of conspiracy in the case darkness." which, it it gets to trial, is sched- Mr. Sisson accepts the jury's uled be heard in September. decision, said his attorney Emile Mr. Morad told the jury that, Morad, but jail time would be while Mr. Sisson may not always excessive. have abided by the letter of the Mr. Sisson is 60 years old, bidding rules, he never benefit- worked for the town for 22 years ted personally from the transac- Jack Sisson and his attorney Emile Morad listen as the judge delivers the sentence — probation and commu- and, while he may not have fol- nity service. tions and had the town's best lowed the proper procedures this financial interests at heart. Mr. time, always acted for the benefit Sisson repeatedly said his of the town. After the verdict was delivered, among detectives and the District the public trust, he said, adding department actually saved West- "He never tried to hide what he Westport Detective Jeff Majewski Attorney's office, he said, in a case that the dollar value of the equip- port taxpayers many thousands did" from the Police Department, said that, jail time or not, the jury's that was more about the princi- ment was not insignificant.