Wednesday, January 18, 2012

I call on Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka to prosecute any person that lied to or mislead the Columbia County Grand Jury that indicted my son. The indictment for the arson at Bull Spring Farm was handed down in 1987. The indictment ended when District Attorney Paul Czajka ended the mater "for failure to go forward" in 1988. Because of a Cover-up my son and I never testified. My son was not cleared of the arson charges and became known as Frankie the Match, Frankie the Torch, the Copake Arsonist, was forced from the community and suffered emotional and financial damages. As a result the family farm, one of New York's Century Farms, was lost.

The second piece of evidence need to indict was the statement of the fire truck driver who flagged down my son to get a ride to the firehouse. He told the Grand Jury my son did not ask where the fire was but drove right to the fire. The Grand Jury was told the only way he could have done that was if he set the fire.

The county admitted the arrest was "extremely" illegal and an apology for the arrest was promised. The promised never came. Later lawyers representing the county, under oath, said the arrest was proper. A hearing where my son could testify was denied by Federal district Judge Howard G. Munson. Then he ruled for the county because there was no testimony from my son! No damages were paid. In a previous post are two sworn affidavits on the Bull Spring Fire. If Mr. Czajka fails to act on my request he should resign or be removed from office.

Grant Langdon

Penfield, NY

585-388-4303