Former Prosecutor Sues NJ Over “Political” Firing

A former New Jersey prosecutor who once handled the Jayson Williams manslaughter case has sued the state, claiming he was fired for political reasons.

Bennett Barlyn worked for the Hunterdon County prosecutor's office from 2007 until 2010.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, Barlyn claims he was fired for objecting to the dismissal of a 43-count indictment against three county employees.

The lawsuit claims an individual who had donated $10,000 to Gov. Chris Christie's campaign in 2009 was a material witness in the investigation. The indictment against the county's sheriff, undersheriff and an investigator was eventually dropped by the attorney general's office.

The lawsuit names the Attorney General's Office and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office. Neither office nor the governor responded immediately to requests for comment Wednesday.

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