A judge has reserved decision on whether Edison has to reinstate a patrolman who admitted he showed up at an area hotel in uniform and asked a woman to model lingerie for him.
NEW BRUNSWICK -- A judge has reserved decision on whether Edison has to reinstate a patrolman who admitted he showed up at an area hotel in uniform and asked a woman to model lingerie for him.
Superior Court Judge Douglas Wolfson heard arguments Friday morning from both sides in the case of Anthony Sarni, who was fired earlier this month, more than two years after he was originally suspended with pay for an encounter with a woman at the Extended Stay America hotel in Raritan Center.
The woman told police that Sarni, while responding to a call at her room, asked her to model lingerie for him. She refused.
After Sarni's shift ended, he returned to her hotel room and again requested a show, she later claimed. Sarni was still in his police uniform and had his service weapon when he made the second alleged request, with which she complied. However, she later reported the incident to officials.
Wolfson's announcement that he would issue a decision in a few weeks came after hearing arguments from Allen Roth, the attorney representing Edison, and Steven Cahn, Sarni's lawyer, who filed a lawsuit against the township after Edison Mayor Thomas Lankey fired Sarni.
RELATED: Fired Edison cop who asked for lingerie show will keep health benefits for now
Lankey rejected a decision by a hearing officer who threw out the charges against Sarni, who was accused of lying in connection with the lingerie case. The day after the hearing officer cleared Sarni, Lankey fired him.
Cahn argued the township had no legal authority to reject the hearing officer's decision and was obligated to reinstate his client. Roth argued the mayor "could do whatever he wanted," including rejecting the hearing officer's determination.
Meanwhile, the judge said Sarni would continue to receive government health insurance benefits until he issues his decision.
Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.