Scott J. Binsack claims in a federal lawsuit that his constitutional rights were violated and that he ran from the law because he feared for his life if he returned to prison.
In the 25-page complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. Middle District Court, Mr. Binsack seeks in excess of $75,000 each in compensatory and punitive damages from the city of Shamokin and the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, along with six individuals representing those entities.
The lawsuit was filed on the same day U.S. marshals captured Mr. Binsack in New York on an alleged parole violation after he failed to show for a parole meeting on Oct. 25.
Individual defendants in the suit include, from Shamokin, Police Chief Ed Griffiths, Clerk Steve Bartos, Councilman R. Craig Rhoades and code enforcement officer Rick Bozza; and PBPP agent Susan Stout and her supervisor, David Frederick.
Mr. Binsack, represented by Frank Kepner Jr., claims the defendants conspired to deprive his constitutional rights to free speech, assembly, due process and liberty. The suit's five counts also say Mr. Binsack's ability to develop real estate opportunities was "seriously damaged," that his "good name, reputation, honor and integrity" were injured, and that he has suffered emotional distress.
Chief Griffiths, contacted Wednesday, said Mr. Binsack is "grasping at straws."
"He's done this in Lacka-wanna County as well, and those suits were thrown out," he said. "You can't sue someone for doing their job."
Mr. Binsack, 43, of 131 S. Market St., Shamokin, quickly became a local curiosity after he and out-of-state businessman Steven Crone appeared at a meeting of city council Aug. 13 with a $13 million plan to seek investors to help revitalize the city and Coal Twp.
The lawsuit describes how Mr. Binsack believes city officials conspired to not only combat the revitalization plan, but to send him back to prison.
The suit also describes health problems that have left Mr. Binsack "completely disabled."
He said he lost all vision in his right eye because of a retinal tear suffered in a prison assault and that he has a serious retinal tear in his left eye, rendering him "legally blind." He also has serious kidney disease and back and knee injuries for which surgeries have been scheduled, the suit says.
It says Mr. Binsack was told by a "confidential source" from the PBPP that he was going to be sent to prison and that he would be beaten by guards. Mr. Binsack's suit says if he suffers any trauma to his head "he will go blind."
"Because he feared for his life and safety, the plaintiff did not report to the parole office as had been ordered," the suit says.