Fire Rescue News- Buena Vista Township man cleared of charges in Egg Harbor City fire

Posted: Thursday, April 5, 2012 7:18 pm

By LYNDA COHEN Staff WriterpressofAtlanticCity.com

A trial originally was supposed to begin Dec. 14, 2009, but kept getting postponed as the state asked for more time and the case went through several different judges and assistant prosecutors.

There were eight trial postponements between Jan. 19, 2010, and Jan. 1, 2011, Superior Court Judge Albert Garofolo noted in a supplement to his Jan. 23 ruling to dismiss the indictment.

“At the present time, there is no indication of when, if ever, the state will be prepared to proceed to trial,” Garofolo wrote.

In February, Superior Court Judge Mark Sandson found Lentz not guilty of the remaining charge of making terroristic threats against his former girlfriend.

Defense attorney Lou Barbone said his client tried for years to prove his innocence, but could not get a chance at trial.

“It was a comedy of errors,” Barbone said. “He was tortured for years by this.”

The Prosecutor’s Office has decided against appealing the decisions, citing difficulty in even getting the alleged witnesses to proceed.

Barbone said he has not experienced this sort of delay in Atlantic County.

“Usually, it’s the opposite,” he said. “They are aggressive.”

Contact Lynda Cohen: 609-272-7257 LCohen@pressofac.com