A civil trial
is set to start Monday on a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the widow of a
Harding police officer who hanged himself in 2003, a day after he was screened
at Morristown Memorial Hospital for suicidal ideations but not
admitted.
A jury of four men and four women was selected by Thursday
afternoon to hear the wrongful death//medical malpractice claims, and opening
trial statements are set to begin Monday before Superior Court Judge W. Hunt
Dumont in Morristown. At issue is whether the hospital, through a social worker,
registered nurse and psychiatrist named as defendants, was negligent and
breached a duty of care to Harding Officer James Cillo Jr. on Aug. 27,
2003.