A New York man who hosted an allegedly “racist” party last summer has filed a lawsuit against the individuals who defamed him.
The controversy initially erupted in July of 2022 when Nicholas Nicosia, a Rochester dentist, hosted a party.
Everything was fine up until local firefighter Jerrod Jones, a black man, was allegedly forced by his captain, Jeffrey Krywy, to attend the party. While there, he claimed he saw Juneteenth flags being flown over buckets of fried chicken in alleged mockery of the holiday.
He also claimed he saw a woman perform sexually suggestive dances while pretending to be Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart.
Following the party, Jones held a press conference with his attorney, Nathan McMurray, during which he recalled what he’d seen at the party.
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“When somebody makes fun of my heritage … when somebody doesn’t see how something like that can be hurtful, it became more than I could bear,” Jones said at the time in an interview, according to NBC News.
He added that after leaving the party, he felt completely shocked and devastated.
“I went to the bunk room about three hours earlier than I normally do because I was just that angry inside, and I was still kind of processing what was happening. I just went and I just laid in the bed and just prayed that I didn’t have to go anywhere that night, because I wasn’t in the right frame of mind — and I was driving [the firetruck], so that’s a huge, huge responsibility,” he said.
According to Nicosia, these allegations — which he claims are unmerited — destroyed his life.
“Nicosia claims in the suit filed Tuesday that Nathan McMurray, an attorney who represents firefighter Jerrod Jones, and Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart destroyed his dentistry practice and ruined his family’s life over what his legal team called a ‘hate crime hoax,'” the New York Post reported Thursday.
“Nicosia said the allegations even led to someone suggesting he should kill himself in an anonymous letter to his office, the lawsuit states,” according to the Post.
Roc City Magazine, a local outlet, further reported that local “organizations quickly sought to publicly distance themselves from the husband and wife” after Jones’ press conference.
For example, the Rochester Americans issued a statement saying, “We do not tolerate racism in any form and it has no place in our world.”
Meanwhile, Highland Hospital, where Nicosia was reportedly the vice chair of the board of directors, announced his resignation.
“Highland Hospital and the University of Rochester Medical Center have asked for the resignation of board member Dr. Nicholas Nicosia, and he has agreed, an action effective immediately. The behavior described in the allegations is deplorable and we in no way condone it,” the organization tweeted.
1/2 Highland Hospital and the University of Rochester Medical Center have asked for the resignation of board member Dr. Nicholas Nicosia, and he has agreed, an action effective immediately. The behavior described in the allegations is deplorable and we in no way condone it.
— Highland Hospital (@HighlandHosp) August 12, 2022
But according to the lawsuit, the allegations against Nicosia are all bull.
“The Juneteenth decorations were not mocking the holiday but rather a small part of the décor, tucked behind a potted oregano plant. The fried chicken on offer was not a racist trope but rather the hosts’ contribution to a potluck meal,” the Democrat & Chronicle reported, citing the lawsuit.
“A woman dressed as Barnhart was not a stripper or burlesque performer. A picture of Barnhart displayed on the yard had no sexual overtones but rather was simply ‘a backstop to a ‘corn hole’ game.’ A gift bag of cognac that Jones received came from another guest, not Nicosia and [his wife, Mary] Znidarsic.”
“Nicosia and his wife offered Mr. Jones food and thanked him for his service to the city of Rochester along with the other four firemen. Jerrod Jones was observed at the party relaxing with his legs outstretched petting the family’s Labrador,” the lawsuit itself reads.
In an interview this week with the Daily Mail, Nicosia vowed that he intends to stick with the suit til the very end.
“I’m in it for the long haul. Cancel culture is about them doing anything to keep the facts and the truth out of the picture. Well, it’s time for the truth to come out. And the truth is we don’t deserve what has been a social and professional death sentence when we didn’t do what we stand accused of,” he said.
His suit specifically names Jones’ attorney, McMurray, and Barnhart, whom Nicosia claims also trash-talked him.
“Rachel Barnhart even went online and said that I was, ‘easy to cancel.’ No-one should be ‘easy to cancel’ especially not your own constituent,” he said of Barnhart’s inclusion in the lawsuit.
According to him, he and his wife are nothing more than collateral damage to the “race hoaxes” being perpetrated.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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