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GREENBURGH, N.Y. A Long Island man accused of slapping his soon-to-be Edgemont neighbor in the face said he has gotten a bum rap and has the video to prove it.
Michael Marom, 60, was charged with second-degree harassment, a violation, in February after he allegedly slapped Deborah Solerno in the face at a Greenburgh Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.
But now, armed with a recently released surveillance video of the incident, Marom is filing a harassment charge of his own, alleging Salerno, 58, kicked him in the shin.
It shows exactly who assaulted who first, he said of the tape.
Marom filed second-degree harassment charges against Salerno April 24 with the Greenburgh Police. While Salerno was unavailable for comment, her husband, Rocco, called the charge bogus.
This wouldnt be the first time he lied about something, he said, referring to Marom.
Both Marom and Salerno were at the Feb. 16 meeting to hear discussion about a variance Marom had requested from the town in an effort to legalize the constructed size of his home at 201 South Healy Ave.
Last month, the Zoning Board of Appeals denied that request. But on Wednesday, Marom was back at the town hall as the Greenburgh Planning Board hosted a public hearing on another of his variance requests, this one to allow the building of a rear wall larger than the original permit granted.
In the meantime, the neighborhood spat ignited by the construction of the home continues with claims of vandalism and violence by both sides.
Marom said he waited more than two months after the altercation to file the charges because he was waiting for the surveillance tape to be supplied to him by the town attorney.
Marom will answer to the harassment charge against him July 31 when his trial is scheduled to begin.
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