Newark parent leader arrested, jailed, after criticizing state plan to close schools.
A parent leader who criticized the “One Newark” plan pushed by state school superintendent Cami Anderson was arrested yesterday on charges he assaulted a central office administrator. Daryn Martin, president of the Parent Teacher Organization at the Ivy Hill School, was charged with ”aggravated assault” but released on his own recognizance. If convicted, he faces three to five years in jail.
Martin, a deacon for he New Hope Baptist Church in Jersey City, said he was called by a Newark police detective and asked to come to headquarters to sign a formal complaint. He had earlier filed a criminal complaint against Tiffany Hardrick, an assistant school superintendent, but the detective said he did not have the right address on the form. It apparently was a ruse to get Martin to come to police headquarters so he could be arrested. When he arrived shortly before 2:30 pm, he was confronted by a detective who told him:
“Here’s the deal, Mr. Martin. The simple assault charge against you has been elevated to aggravated assault because she is a public official.”
Martin said, “What charge? There’s no charge against me.” Despite his protests, he was handcuffed and fingerprinted. The police took a mug shot and swabbed his cheek for DNA samples. Then he was placed in a cell with two other inmates.
Robert Pickett of West Orange, Martin’s lawyer, said his client’s arrest amounted to