Seidle children file federal lawsuit in mother's killing

Austin Bogues | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Prosecutor releases Seidle shooting findings Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni released the findings from his office on the fatal shooting of Tamara Wilson-Seidle by her ex-husband and former Neptune Township police Sergeant Philip Seidle. STAFF VIDEO BY THOMAS P. COSTELLO

Two years to the day that Tamara Wilson-Seidle was shot to death on an Asbury Park street by her ex-husband, Neptune police Sgt. Philip Seidle, their nine children have filed a federal lawsuit against a host of officials claiming that authorities knew Seidle was unstable but they let him remain an armed officer.

The suit claims Neptune Township, Neptune Township Police, Asbury Park, Asbury Park Police and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, as well as Philip Seidle, are liable for her death.

“We have reason to believe that the Neptune police knew much more than has been indicated about the violence being perpetrated against Tamara by Philip Seidle than has been provided to the public," said Shelley L. Stangler, the attorney representing the family.

She said the Neptune police failed to discipline Seidle properly and wrongly allowed him to use his service weapon, which he fired in the Sept. 16, 2015, shooting. The lawsuit was filed Friday, June 16, 2017, and released by the courts Monday.

The suit also claims that Seidle used "the police force at his whim, to create an intimidating and threating environment" for Wilson-Seidle whenever he picked up the children.

The Neptune police department knew Seidle had anger issues and "mental instability" but allowed him to carry a weapon, the suit claims.

The suit names more than 10 people as defendants in addition to the departments, notably former Asbury Park Acting Police Chief Anthony Salerno, Asbury Deputy Chief David Kelso, Neptune Police Chief James Hunt, Neptune Police Director Michael Bascom and Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni. You can read a copy of the lawsuit below.

Michael Casey, a spokesman for Asbury Park police, declined to comment.

A spokesman for Neptune police could not be reached immediately for comment on Monday.

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Seidle, who was off-duty at the time of the shooting and had their seven-year-old daughter in the front seat of his Honda Pilot SUV, pursued his ex-wife during a high-speed chase, crashing on Sewell Avenue near Ridge Avenue.

As his daughter watched from the front seat, Seidle fired two barrages of bullets from his police-issued .40-caliber Glock pistol shortly after 11:30 a.m. Authorities said Wilson Seidle likely died almost instantly at the scene.

Seidle held police at bay for nearly 20 minutes as he put the gun to his head and shouted he was fed up with his ex-wife and their divorce proceedings.

Seidle soon surrendered, however, and was taken into custody. He pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter on Sept. 29, 2016, and is serving a 30-year prison term at New Jersey State Prison in Trenton.

Because the first barrage from Seidle happened so fast - a matter of seconds after the crash - Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said later that his office's investigation found that police could not have prevented her death. You can view a video of the prosecutor's findings above this story.

However, he did find that police did not follow certain proceduresat the scene and recommend discipline for two officers who responded to the scene.

One of the disciplined officers was Asbury Park Police Captain Marshawn Love, who was a neighbor of the Seidles. Love, who was demoted to sergeant but is appealing the decision, is listed as a possible defendant in the lawsuit filed by the Seidle family along with other Asbury Park officers who responded to the scene and are unidentified.

Gramiccioni said that Love should have assumed command at the scene. Instead, Love drove the Seidles' 7-year-old daughter to the Asbury Park police station.

Charles Webster, a spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying it was office policy not to discuss pending litigation.

"The thoughts and prayers of the entire Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office were, and remain with the Seidle family," Gramiccioni said, in a statement emailed to the Press.

In September 2015, Stangler filed a notice of claim to the police departments in Neptune City, Asbury Park, Neptune as well as their police directors, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, the county, the state of New Jersey and Seidle.

The claim indicated the nine Seidle children would seek $10 million in damages from the different departments and agencies.

The family's claim at the time was for wrongful death, emotional distress, violation of civil rights, pain and suffering, loss of companionship, guidance and support for the children.

There was also a bystander liability claim filed for the Seidles' then 7-year-old daughter who was present during the killing.

Stangler said the dollar figure may change, depending on what is learned through discovery.

No dollar amount is listed in the federal lawsuit.

She also said she would seek a copy of the 2014 Turner report, which investigated internal complaints into the Neptune police department. The report has never been released and two attorneys representing two officers suing the department in a separate case have thus far been unable to obtain it. The report was never read by the township committee.

"That would be relevant to this case. I would certainly say that there is a basis for the release of this kind of information," Stangler said.

Philip Seidle and Tamara Wilson-Seidle had a turbulent relationship.

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Investigators found seven domestic violence calls the Seidles made to police over a period of 21 years. One of the calls resulted in a two-day suspension for Seidle, another landed him a 30-day suspension, but he remained employed on the Neptune police force according to the prosecutor's report.

In her divorce papers, Wilson-Seidle said her husband kicked her while pregnant, put a gun to her head and abused her emotionally. In his divorce papers, Seidle claimed he was under so much stress from the divorce that he was declared "unfit for duty" by a police psychologist in 2012.

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In the wake of the prosecutor's office investigation into the incident, Gramiccioni implemented an early warning policy that mandates departments notify the prosecutor's office when: an officer is allegedly involved in domestic violence, any time an officer is sent for a fitness for duty evaluation, any time an officer is disarmed, any time an officer gets three citizen complaints within six months, and a list of the materials sent to a physician conducting a fitness for duty evaluation.

APP Archives were used in this report.

Press Release by asburyweb on Scribd

Seidle Filing Notice by asburyweb on Scribd

Austin Bogues 732-643-4009; abogues@gannettnj.com