June 22, 2010After four (4) months of reviewing the events and affidavits contained in the arrest report of Shores Resident, Keith Goldstein, for allegedly stalking five (5) employees of the St. Augustine Shores Service Corporation, the State of Florida declined prosecution of Goldstein's case on Monday, June 21, 2010. (Click image in left hand corner)
Prominent St. Augustine area Attorney, James Werter, Mr. Goldstein's lead attorney in this case issued the following statement when asked about the events leading up to the arrest and results.
"My client was arrested for (5) counts of stalking. The State Prosecutor had four (4) months to review this case. If you review each individual affidavit of the complainants, you will find that it does not meet the prima facie case for Stalking under F.S. 784.048. These charges were preferred by the homeowner’s association of the development that Mr. Goldstein lives in. Very plainly, the Defendant (Goldstein) was dealing with a fiefdom mentality which is not uncommon to HOA boards."
Mr. Goldstein offered the following statement;
" I have been subjected to malicious acts at the hands of the Service Corp Board of Directors, their law firm and employees for over a year. The Board asserts that they are not responsible for the actions of their employees but they are wrong. The Board is basically powerless. The employees and Russ Klemm (Corporate Counsel for the St. Augustine Shores Service Corporation, employed with the firm of Clayton & McCulloh) run the show. The State made the correct decision in not bringing forth this case for trial. We had prepared witness testimony and information in case of trial and were ready. I stated all along that I was innocent and was prepared to defend that innocence.
Later this week, the Board of Directors will be served with a notice that we intend to sue for malicious prosecution and the violation of my Constitutional rights by initiating two (2) trespass warnings against me and this arrest. The only thing that will save the Shores community from the cost of a long drawn out and expensive trial is if the five (5) employees are terminated immediately.
I will be meeting with my legal team later this week. We are absolutely suing the employees for their actions. Whether the Service Corporation and the law firm is named in the action directly depends on how the Board of Directors chooses to handle the situation. If they choose to spend homeowner's money to defend these individuals it would be a travesty and injustice to every homeowner in the Shores. The best thing that can happen for the homeowners, who have no dog in this fight, is for the Board to sever ties with the employees and let them go it alone!"
