NY - Susan Burgess, a Brockport attorney, and her former client, Carmen Coleman... accusing a school official and a Buffalo attorney for the school district of illegally eavesdropping on their private conversation in a district conference room nearly two years ago....
Named in their suit are the district; its board of education; Kevin Ratcliffe, director of Pupil Services; and Jay Pletcher, the attorney in question, and his law firm...
Burgess and Coleman met at school district offices with Ratcliffe and Pletcher, to discuss the educational needs of Coleman’s son. At one point, Burgess and Coleman asked to speak privately; Ratcliffe and Pletcher left the room.
But, they claim Pletcher called a cell phone and then left it on the table in the conference room so he could listen in from Ratcliffe’s adjoining office, presumably with Ratcliffe, on their private conversation in violation of their civil rights...
To support their claim, Coleman and Burgess say there was a series of subsequent events that led them to believe their conversation had been overheard. It began with Pletcher re-entering the room and removing a cell phone immediately after Coleman asked Burgess about the device lying on the table.
...They expect a decision in six to 10 weeks. (more)
