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“I have lived next to that school for 28 years, and I have nothing but love for those kids,” 57-year-old Joseph L. Dimino told Superior Court Judge Edward A. Jerejian.
Dimino said he also has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
“I’m not well, sir,” he told the judge. “Please consider these facts.”
Jerejian had some facts of his own: a record of more than 30 criminal offenses in four states — New Jersey, New York, California and Nevada — some of which include similar assaults.
“Maybe state prison is the only answer,” the judge concluded.
Staff, students and faculty were enjoying a special field day at the No. 3 School a year ago this past Wednesday when Dimino showed up sometime after 9 a.m. in violation of a judge’s order that he stay away from his ex-wife.
At first, the apparently intoxicated Dimino began yelling obscenities at Principal Robert Kravitz from a fence dividing school property from his home.
When Kravitz tried to calm him down, Dimino punched the principal in the head, followed him into the school and continued hitting him.
Employees eventually restrained Dimino until police arrived.
Kravitz wasn’t seriously injured, authorities said.
Fort Lee police filed a half-dozen charges against Dimino for burglary, assault, endangerment and contempt, among other offenses.
Although he was able to make $75,000 bail at first, a Superior Court judge in Hackensack ordered him held on an additional $50,000 bail for violating probation on aggravated assault convictions from 2009.
Jerejian imposed sentences of five years each to run concurrently for that probation violation and another, as well as an 18-month term (also concurrent) for violating the restraining order.
STORY / PHOTOS: Mary K. Miraglia, CLIFFVIEW PILOT Courthouse Reporter
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