By CHARLES DIANIS
The (Stamford) Advocate
June 23, 2000
NORWALK - A city firefighter arrested twice in recent months on assault charges at a South Norwalk nightclub has been suspended without pay and ordered not to patronize the neighborhood's bars for three years.
Jason Penna, 26, of Westport, was suspended for four weeks by Norwalk's Fire Commission. The commission Wednesday also placed Penna on probation, which prohibits him from entering the bars.
Mayor Frank Esposito, a commission member, said the panel acted on the recommendation of Fire Chief James Verda.
"This was a situation where the commission would rely on the chief's opinion," said Esposito, who did not attend the meeting where Penna was cited.
Thomas Flaherty and Kenneth Garfunkel, Norwalk's two other fire commissioners, could not be reached for comment. Messages left for Verda were not immediately returned.
Frank Peloso, president of the firefighters' union, said there are no plans to appeal the ruling.
"Beyond that, we don't really want to comment. Maybe after it's all resolved," Peloso said.
Attempts to contact Penna were unsuccessful.
Esposito said the Fire Commission made the correct move, though charges against Penna are pending in court.
"It was based on our own concerns, not necessarily what's going to happen in court," the mayor said.
Penna, a two-year veteran, was arrested by police April 29 and charged with third-degree assault. Penna allegedly punched a 22-year-old man in the groin outside Symetry at 18 S. Main St.
Penna was arrested May 6 at the same bar and charged with second-degree assault, police said. In that incident, he is accused of hitting a 25-year-old man in the face with a bottle.
The victim required several stitches to close a cut on his face, police said.
Penna is scheduled to appear Wednesday at state Superior Court in Norwalk.
Esposito said the city will continue to pay for Penna to attend anger management classes through its Employees Assistance Program.
"The kid's trying to get straightened out," Esposito said. "We want to get him back on track, because everything we saw showed that he does a good job as a firefighter."