A years-long feud between next-door neighbors in Lansdale Borough has led to a federal civil rights lawsuit naming the borough, its police department several officers, and members of the code enforcement department among the defendants.
Theresa Maria Laws, through her Philadelphia attorney Lucas T. Nascimento, recently filed the 28-page complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Named as defendants are Laws' former next-door neighbor on Shaw Avenue, Scott S. Gribling, along with Lansdale Borough, Lansdale Police and several officers, as well as several members of the borough’s Department of Code Enforcement — all of whom are named "in personal and official capacities."
According to the complaint, Laws moved out of the Shaw Avenue residence next to Gribling on March 27 of this year because of "frustration, grief, humiliation, anger and discord that are solely the fault of defendant Gribling and Lansdale defendants." It's not clear from the document whether Laws still resides in Lansdale Borough.
Her federal lawsuit documents a series of complaints she made about Gribling to police and other borough officials dating back to 2011. Among Laws' allegations are that Gribling blew snow and leaves and other matter onto Laws' property and left feces from his rabbits there, verbally abused her with foul language, and on many occasions made excessive noise, disturbing Laws. Probably the most graphic in a long list of Laws' accusations against Gribling is that he once placed a "rotting severed deer head on a stick" on the fence between the two properties.
Gribling declined to comment when reached by telephone Tuesday. Blue Bell attorney Michael N. Gatto, who is mentioned in Laws' complaint as having represented Gribling in some disputes with Laws, said he is not representing Gribling in this federal lawsuit and had no comment.
Lansdale Borough Manager John J. Ernst wrote in an email to North Penn Now that "there will not be any comment coming from the borough regarding this matter. I've copied the chief of police, council president, mayor and the borough solicitor on this email response."
Laws also alleges in the complaint that Gribling made numerous false claims against her in the 12 years they lived next to each other, including that she once keyed and otherwise damaged his vehicle.
Laws alleges "false arrest and malicious prosecution" at several points in the complaint in regard to alleged actions by Gribling and/or Lansdale Police and other officials. She claims that police and other officials either ignored or did not act properly or fairly on her complaints. Laws states in the federal complaint that the alleged actions of Gribling and the Lansdale defendants have had the effect of depriving her of her rights under the 1st, 4th and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
She cites in the complaint alleged "false criminal reports and false criminal charges being brought against her by agents and officers of the Lansdale Police Department...maliciously instigated against her by her neighbor Gribling." In addition, Laws alleges that training policies at the police department did not adequately prepare officers for situations like she went through.
Relief sought by Laws at the end of the complaint is a jury trial; compensatory damages against defendants in excess of $150,000, jointly and severally in favor of plaintiff; and, if appropriate, punitive damages against defendants.
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