Paul Tagliaterra files federal lawsuit against PSTA and PSP

TAGLIATERRA v. PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT et al

Plaintiff: PAUL TAGLIATERRA

Defendant: PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT and PENNSYLVANIA STATE TROOPERS ASSOCIATION

Case Number: 5:2008cv01219

Filed: March 12, 2008

Court: Pennsylvania Eastern District Court

Office: Allentown Office [ Court Info ]

County: Lehigh

Presiding Judge: HONORABLE PAUL S. DIAMOND

Nature of Suit: Civil Rights – Other Civil Rights

Cause: 42: 1983 Civil Rights Act

Jurisdiction: Federal Question

Jury Demanded By: Plaintiff

No further Information Available At This Time

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From The Morning Call

September 26, 2006

State trooper faces drug-forgery charge

Paul J. Tagliaterra, 42, accused of falsifying Vicodin prescription.

By Manuel Gamiz Jr. Of The Morning Call

A state trooper at the Hazleton barracks was charged last month with forging a prescription for Vicodin at a Wal-Mart pharmacy in Whitehall Township and was placed on desk duty, authorities said.
Paul J. Tagliaterra, 42, of 2803 Veronica Ave., Whitehall, was charged Aug. 24 by the state attorney general’s office with two counts of procurement of drugs by forgery. He was arraigned before Whitehall District Judge Joan Snyder and released on $20,000 unsecured bail.
Tagliaterra, a 14-year state police veteran, was placed on restricted duty pending an internal investigation and the conclusion of his legal matters, said Trooper Linette Quinn, state police public information director.
According to court records, Tagliaterra went to the Wal-Mart at 2601 MacArthur Road on March 3 to obtain 40 Vicodin pills, which was paid by his insurance.
He attempted to get another 60 Vicodin pills March 27, but that order was not filled when a pharmacist had a question about the prescription and called the doctor she thought had issued it, court records say.
In both cases, Tagliaterra used prescription pads from a doctor in South Whitehall Township where he had gone previously for treatment.
The office manager at the doctor’s office told an agent with the attorney general’s office that Tagliaterra had gone there before for treatment of pain in his hand, court records say. She said he was prescribed Vicodin at a lower strength than he asked for at Wal-Mart.
The agent spoke to the doctor, who confirmed that he did not sign the prescription, according to the court documents.
According to court records, the doctor also said he spoke to Tagliaterra on March 31, and the state trooper said ”he made a mistake when he used the prescriptions to support his drug habits.”
Tagliaterra waived his preliminary hearing and has a formal arraignment scheduled in Lehigh County Court on Oct. 9.