Updated with defendants’ denial of the allegations and answer to the complaint attached below.
Former South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education member Elissa Malespina recently filed a defamation lawsuit against members of the Friends of Frank — a collection of community members who raised money for the defense of Columbia High School Principal Frank Sanchez and advocated on his behalf.
Last year, a grand jury dismissed a felony charge of child endangerment against Sanchez related to a 2023 altercation with a 15-year-old CHS student. A misdemeanor charge of simple assault is still to be adjudicated in Municipal Court. Sanchez was reinstated as Principal in June 2024 after being placed on administrative leave in January 2024.
The defamation suit, filed in December and attached below, alleges that Courtney Winkfield, Rachel Fisher, Stephanie Nasteff and others not named “maliciously, intentionally, and/or recklessly defamed Malespina personally and through their groups or organizations from approximately March 2024 to the present by stating verbally and in writing that Malespina … acted in a criminal manner, acted in an unethical manner, and directly caused Principal Frank Sanchez, Principal at Columbia High School, to be arrested and charged with a felony and misdemeanor. As a result of the malicious, intentional, and/or reckless lies and false statements made by the defendants and others, Malespina suffered financial losses, loss of employment, loss of reputation in the educational community, and severe emotional distress.”
Attorney Zachary Wellbrook, who along with his partner J.H. Oliverio at Anselmi & Carvelli LLP in Morristown are representing the three defendants, said, “The claims made by Ms. Malespina are demonstrably false, and we are confident that Ms. Winkfield, Ms. Fisher, and Ms. Nasteff will be fully vindicated as the judicial process plays out.”
A press release Malespina sent to The Village Green on January 22 that was issued by her attorney James H. Davis III’s office, states that over several months, “Davis personally contacted the defendants and other offenders and requested that they cease and desist from making false statements against Ms. Malespina and requested that these individuals merely apologize to Ms. Malespina for their malicious actions. However, all have ignored or rejected the offer of resolution.”
The press release also quotes Malespina as saying, “The false statements made about me have caused significant damage to my reputation, my career, and my emotional well-being. It is critical to set the record straight. I acted in accordance with my duties as a mandatory reporter, and I will not stand by while lies are spread about my lawful actions.”
In response to the press release from Davis and Malespina, Nasteff reached out to Village Green to say she had not been contacted: “At no time before receiving the email complaint from the NJ court systems have I ever been contacted by James Davis or Elissa Malespina regarding this matter. I did not receive a cease and desist letter, email, phone call, or any other communication from them.” [Note: Davis responded with a letter dated December 16 to the defendants and a UPS tracking code confirmation of delivery to Nasteff on December 20, basically confirming Nasteff’s statement: “The letter does not include a cease and desist but includes an opportunity to settle and resolve by apologizing,” per Davis.]
In an email that Friends of Frank sent to supporters, it was noted that Sanchez was reinstated as CHS Principal with tenure, but “this positive outcome is shadowed by the misdemeanor charge that months later is still in limbo in Maplewood Municipal Court.”
The group’s email continues: “To our dismay, Friends of Frank is now under attack for standing up for Frank” and states that Malespina, “through her lawyer, James Davis” (who also represented the student involved in the case against Sanchez), “has filed a spurious defamation complaint against three of our members with the Essex County Superior Court.”
The email also provided a link to the suit, noting, “We have nothing to hide.”
Friends of Frank have launched a GoFundMe to cover legal fees for the three women with a goal of raising $18,000, and by the evening of January 22, they had raised more than $16,000.
“Courtney, Stephanie and Rachel have had to retain counsel to defend themselves against this false complaint. Their attorneys, Zachary Wellbrock and James Henry Oliver [sic], have filed an answer to the complaint and will vigorously defend these three until there is a just outcome.”
See copies of the complaint below.
Editor’s note: This story was also updated at 9:12 a.m. on January 23, 2025 with a quote from Stephanie Nasteff, and updated 12:18 p.m. with a response from James Davis.
Copy of the complaint:
Copy of the answer: