Mendham Man Accused of Destroying Monument to Sex Abuse Victims Has 'History' with Greystone Psychiatric Hospital

The Star-Ledger
July 30, 2012

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/07/attorney_man_accused_of_destro.html

A file photo from November 2011 of the remnants of a destroyed monument dedicated to victims of clergy sexual abuse at the Church of St. Joseph in Mendham.

MENDHAM — A man accused of using a sledgehammer to destroy a Mendham monument to victims of clergy sexual abuse has "a history" with Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany, his attorney said today.

The defendant, Gordon Ellis, 37, of Mendham, is "close" to accepting a plea agreement offered by the Morris County prosecutor, but the records from Greystone need to be reviewed first, his public defender, Neill Hamilton, said today during a conference in Superior Court in Morristown.

Hamilton said he wants to be sure there are no outstanding "health issues" before he accepts the plea offer. Ellis is to appear in court again on Aug. 27.

Ellis was said to be under the influence of alcohol on Nov. 18 when he allegedly destroyed the 400-pound millstone memorial outside St. Joseph Church.

Ellis is accused of criminal mischief, desecrating religious or sectarian premises and weapons charges.

Under the agreement, Ellis would plead guilty to criminal mischief, would pay restitution to the church and would be sentenced to the time he already served in the Morris County jail after his arrest, according to Assistant Prosecutor Anthony Scibetta. Ellis served 34 days in the jail before posting bail on Dec. 22, according to jail records.

Scibetta said the church has estimated the restitution amount at $10,000 but he needs to receive a final figure from the pastor.

A replacement memorial identical to the original was built and unveiled in April.

The original monument was dedicated in 2004 to children who suffered sexual abuse at St. Joseph and elsewhere.

The parish once employed the Rev. James Hanley, a defrocked priest who admitted molesting more than a dozen children during a 24-year career.

Inspiration for the monument came from the 2003 suicide of James Kelly, a 37-year-old Hanley victim.