Mother files wrongful death suit

The mother of a Butler man found hanged on a clothesline in April filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court Thursday against the city of Butler and its police department, claiming the police department has tolerated a pattern of racial discrimination and police brutality and did not properly investigate her son's death.

Vivian Grandison, of Williamstown, N.J., filed the lawsuit on behalf of Edward Grandison, 43, formerly of Butler. The Grandisons are black. The lawsuit claims the Butler police department's negligence stems from a pattern of brutality and discrimination that has existed for several years.

The lawsuit lists Chief Frank Dalcamo, Sgt. John Hertzog and Sgt. Mark Peffer, other unknown police officers and Grandison's former girlfriend, Beatrice Widerman, as defendants.

Dalcamo did not return calls yesterday, and Widerman could not be reached for comment.

The lawsuit alleges negligence, assault, wrongful death, inadequate training and unreasonable search and seizure by the police department and seeks unspecified damages.

Butler police said it investigated a complaint by Grandison's girlfriend, Beatrice Widerman, the night before he was found hanged on a clothesline. According to the complaint, Grandison had stabbed her during a domestic dispute at their College Avenue apartment.

Police went to the apartment and found it on fire but there was no sign of Grandison, according to police reports. He was found hanging from a clothesline the next morning in the backyard of a North Cliff Street home.

The lawsuit claims Butler police sought to dispose of Grandison's body without the family's consent, did not perform an autopsy and have conspired with Widerman to hide the details of Grandison's death.