Latest news with #NassauSupremeCourt
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Long Island mall owner in legal dog fight with ex-girlfriend over their miniature Dachshund
A Long Island mall scion is in a legal dog fight with his ex-girlfriend over who will own their adorable long-haired miniature Dachshund — with both claiming the pup is their 'emotional support animal.' Alexander Patronelli of Glen Head and Katelyn Evans of Manhattan bought Finnley from a Texas breeder in April 2024, even arranging for a 'flight nanny' to accompany the pup on the trip to New York, court papers show. But the pricey canine –the breed can cost up to $7,000– has since became a casualty of their contentious split, as the former couple trade lawsuits in Nassau Supreme Court over the dog's fate. Advertisement 3 Evans claimed she was devastated by the loss of Finn. kwhatevs/ Instagram Patronelli, 32, and Evans, 27, dated for six years before breaking up late last year, and each says they're having a ruff time without 'Finn.' 'Finnley has been cared for by [Patronelli] (and at work) by his staff, his family, his friends, and is never left alone,' Patronelli, whose family owns the Locust Valley Plaza mall, said in an Aug. 6 lawsuit against Evans. Advertisement Patronelli claims in court papers that Evans is using Finn against him, and falsely told the Nassau Family Court he had 'raised his voice and scared Finnley.' He also alleged Evans leaves the pup alone for hours in her Manhattan pad. But Evans said she stuck with Patronelli through substance abuse problems, rehab and 'violent outbursts,' alleging in Nassau Supreme Court papers he assaulted her in November outside his family's restaurant. That's when she sought a protective order against Patronelli in Nassau Family Court, naming their dog as a 'protected party.' 3 The couple bought the pup from a breeder in Texas, according to court papers. kwhatevs/ Instagram Advertisement It's unclear if Evans reported the alleged assault to Nassau County Police, who did not respond to a message seeking comment Losing Finn left Evans, who works in marketing, 'without the companionship of an animal that she found, adopted, raised, and cared for deeply,' she said in her own court papers. Patronelli's alleged snatching of their dog, 'is a well-researched and documented tactic known to be used by domestic violence abusers to assert coercion and control over their victims,' she said in the legal filing. 3 Patronelli claimed his ex often left Finn alone in her NYC apartment. kwhatevs/ Instagram Advertisement Patronelli sued 'to bully and silence Ms. Evans. She will not be bullied or silenced. The truth is on her side,' she said in a counter-suit accusing him of engaging in 'bad faith litigation.' The case comes about two months after a Brooklyn judge declared that companion pets can be considered 'immediate family,' after a woman sued for emotional distress after a driver mowed down her son's dachschund. A lawyer for Patronelli did not respond to a message seeking comment. Evans' lawyer declined comment.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Long Island pediatrician accused of abuse by more than 100 must pay $1.6B
A former Long Island pediatrician has been ordered to pay $1.6 billion to more than 100 women who accused him of sexual abuse, marking one of the largest ever judgments of its kind. Stuart Copperman, who was accused of abuse dating all the way back to the 1960s, for decades operated a practice out of the basement of his home in Merrick. While he never faced any criminal charges for the abuse, he had his license to practice medicine suspended in 2000 over the allegations. Statute of limitations laws, however, prevented Copperman's accusers from filing lawsuits until the passage of the New York Child Victims Act, a 2019 law that extended the time sex abuse survivors have to file civil and criminal cases, creating a temporary window for previously time-barred lawsuits. The judgement comes after a 19-month review of cases involving allegations against Copperman, during which time Nassau Supreme Court Justice Leonard Steinman issued damages to every plaintiff who filed suit. Decisions in the last five cases were filed on Friday, Newsday reported. Stefan Turkheimer, vice president of public policy for the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, said the $1.6 billion pot is 'one of the largest civil judgments in a class action sexual assault suit that we have seen in our country.' Copperman previously denied wrongdoing, claiming that he was only being 'thorough' during his exams. He did not respond to the litigation nor did he mount a defense, prompting a judge to issue a default judgment against him in 2023.
