THIS PETITION IS FOR THE NATIONWIDE PETITION

SEE THIS LINK FOR THE ROCKLAND COUNTY RESIDENT PETITION. https://chng.it/Kmwb2HK7

Due to a fire at the Evergreen Court Adult Home in Spring Valley, NY on the night of  March 23, 2021 Firefighter Jared Lloyd and a resident of the Home, Oliver Hueston, lost their lives. There were also countless injuries sustained by volunteer firefighters and other residents of the facility.  

Shortly after the fire District Attorney Tom Walsh, in the presence of the Lloyd family and first responders, stated that he would ensure justice would be served. 

In June 2021 a Grand Jury empaneled in Rockland County indicted Nathaniel Sommer and his son, Aaron Sommer, on multiple charges related to the fire including 2nd degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, 4th degree arson, 2nd degree reckless endangerment, and various assault charges. 

The Grand Jury also indicted Denise Kerr, Director of the Evergreen facility who was charged with 2nd degree reckless endangerment; an employee, Manual Lema, was charged with 2nd degree criminal impersonation, and 2nd degree obstruction of governmental administration. Two village officials were also indicted on falsifying business documents.  

In December 2021 all charges against Kerr and Lema were settled; no details were released by the DA until March 2022.

On June 20, 2023 both Nathaniel and Aaron Sommer appeared in court and the family of the deceased fireman and the family of the facility’s deceased resident learned that the justice system under the management of DA Walsh had failed both of them.  

District Attorney Walsh had settled two cases out of court; he had lost two other cases when a judge threw out the prosecution’s cases against them without either defendant having to present any defense; and finally on the two most serious cases involving manslaughter, reckless endangerment and arson among other charges, the DA had negotiated a plea deal with no jail time.  

Nathaniel Sommer pleaded guilty to 2 counts of 2nd degree manslaughter; Aaron Sommer pleaded guilty to 1 count of 2nd degree reckless endangerment. 

The DA’s negotiated "deal" was 5 and 3 years probation respectively as well as a total of $600 in court fees and costs. The official sentencing date was set for September 20th, 2023. 

This plea deal was met with disbelief and anguish by the Lloyd family, by Rockland County’s volunteer firefighters, and by a broad swath of a stunned and disappointed public, Democrat and Republican, religious and secular, who had trusted that District Attorney Walsh would bring the matters approved by a Rockland County Grand Jury before a jury of the defendants’ peers.

The deaths of two beloved citizens of Rockland County in the Evergreen fire have proven that numerous senior political leaders, despite many past warnings,  have talked-the-talk while pretending to walk-the-walk. 

Even more disturbing as the politicians, the District Attorney, who had talked-the-talk with them, went further and simply refused to even pretend he was walking-the-walk!

We the residents of the County of Rockland, State of New York affixing our names to this public petition therefore demand the immediate resignation of District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh.

We have lost all faith in Walsh’s ability to fulfill the mission of his office which states in part that the Office of the Rockland County District Attorney  "It is the mission of this Office to protect the people of Rockland County through the vigorous prosecution of crime and aggressive crime prevention measures... With that comes the expectation of fairness and humility..."

To District Attorney Walsh we say:  The lives lost in this fire are two too many!  Be gracious in recognizing that you have failed to protect those now deceased.  Be gracious also in recognizing and admitting that you have lost our confidence, trust and support. 

UPDATE: On Friday June 30th 2023 at approximately 4PM the DA's office put a post on their Facebook page. On that post they released links to a few documents. One of the documents they linked to was the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control Investigation Report. Included in the original links to the report were numerous  graphic pictures as part of it including pictures of the deceased firefighter and resident. Finally at approximately at 8PM a member of the DA's staff changed the files and removed the pictures. 

For the sake of those who mourn have the decency to depart!