The family attorney for the nine Seidle children says she vows to sue the Neptune and Asbury Park police departments on how they dealt with events leading up to the fatal shooting of Tamara Wilson-Seidle by her ex-husband, Neptune police Sgt. Philip Seidle, reports the APP.com.
Seidle family attorney vows to sue
Shelley L. Stangler, a Springfield attorney who focuses on civil rights cases, said she also plans to examine how Neptune investigated domestic violence and excessive use of force complaints against its officers.
“Did it create an atmosphere where this shooting could occur? There’s a lot of issues with respect to proper discipline and how something like this can happen,” Stangler told the Asbury Park Press. “How do we get to the point where Sgt. Seidle can get out of his car and start shooting his wife in broad daylight?”
Strangle said she would explore other issues related to the fatal shooting on June 16th but will specifically examine how Neptune handled the domestic violence calls to the Seidle house.
Documents released to the Press after the killing revealed that Neptune police had generated 21 reports, some having to do with domestic violence involving the Seidles.
They have 90 days from the date of the shooting to file a torts claim against the township. Stangler declined to say how much money the family will seek in the lawsuit, saying her investigation is ongoing.
When asked how the Seidle children are managing, Stangler told the Press, “They are a very strong family, a religious family and are being helped out by the (Our Lady of Mt. Carmel R.C.) Church (in Asbury Park). There is psychological counseling going on. The plans of the older children have been disrupted, but they are staying together.”
Deadly shooting
On June 16, on Sewall Avenue in Asbury Park, the off-duty former Sgt. Philip Seidle, 51, shot and killed his ex-wife 51-year-old Tamara Wilson-Seidle, by firing two volleys for a total of 12 shots from his .40-caliber Glock service weapon at her as onlookers and police from Asbury Park and Neptune watched.
Seidle held police at bay for about 20 minutes before surrendering. He is charged with first-degree murder and is being held on $2 million bail by the Monmouth County Jail.
