Family of man who died after argument at Astor Bar in Jersey City still searching for answers

By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
March 01, 2010, 9:09PM


The family of John Reilly, who died following an argument at the Astor Bar in Jersey City on Feb. 15 last year, is still searching for answers about the death


A year after a Jersey City political figure died after being rushed to the hospital following a "verbal altercation" at a city bar, his family still doesn't believe the truth about that night has come out.

The final autopsy report on John Reilly, a former commissioner of the Jersey City Incinerator Authority, completed in July 2009 says the cause of Reilly's death on Feb. 15 last year at the Astor Bar was "severe heart disease...a collapse following a verbal altercation and damage to the brain caused by a lack of oxygen."

Judy Reilly, a daughter of John Reilly, told The Jersey Journal today that doctors told the family that her father had not suffered a heart attack that night.

"We are very saddened that a year later we still don't have answers to what really happened to my father that evening," Judy Reilly said.

A paid memorial the family ran in The Jersey Journal on Feb. 27 stated: "Although you (John Reilly) were a good friend to many, sadly one year has passed and no one has come forward with the truth."

Reilly, who worked as a liaison between the Jersey City City Hall and several autonomous agencies, was rushed to the Jersey City Medical Center from the Montgomery Street bar at 1:04 a.m.

Reilly was a longtime friend and aide to Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy.

RIP, John

Such a funny, nice man and a wonderful dad.
My prayers are with his daughter Judy, and his wife.

My sincerest condolences to the Reilly Family. It's ashame that the poltics in Jersey City are as such that a good Family would lose their devoted Husband & Father to nonsense!

R.I.P.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... e_dies_two_weeks_aft.html

Rumors fly, none of them flattering
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A n early Feb. 15 morning incident at a Jersey City bar, a hangout for city administration officials and workers, has been the subject of many rumors, enough to make The Jersey Journal question police about it.

It was then that Police Chief Thomas Comey ordered the city's Major Case Unit to investigate the occurrence at the Astor Bar and Grill.

What is known is that John Reilly, a friend of Mayor Jerramiah Healy, is identified as the person who at 1:04 a.m. was transported to the Jersey City Medical Center. Reilly, a liaison between the administration and the city's autonomous agencies, is listed in "serious condition."

Late Friday, Comey explained what his investigators discovered.

"We have identified the patrons in the location and interviewed the majority of them regarding their observations prior to Mr. Reilly's taking ill," said Comey.

The police said Reilly got into a heated verbal altercation - no physical exchange - with another patron several minutes before he collapsed. Comey said medical personnel found no physical trauma in treating Reilly. It is not known if he meant EMTs or physicians at the Jersey City Medical Center.

The chief said he talked to Hudson County Prosecutor Ed DeFazio about the altercation and they were unable to confirm that any criminal activity took place.

Comey would not reveal the name of the other bar patron because no crime was involved. Perhaps, but then there are several questions left to ask. One is whether the other person is also a city employee or a member of the administration?

Some in law enforcement officials have dismissed the rumors as "political." This newspaper has already accused the administration of making alcohol part of City Hall culture. The public has a right to know what is the depth of the problem.

The last question: What was the subject of the argument? Anything that eventually jeopardizes a man's life is open to scrutiny and it should be much more transparent to the public if it involves those on the city payroll.

The one thing all can agree upon is hopes for the speedy recovery of Mr. Reilly.

Jersey Journal Editorial
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
www.nj.com/hudsoncountynow

This story is just another footnote to the saga of the boozefog politicians who conduct city business from saloons. Look at the amount of time and manpower the JCPD and the Prosecutor gave to this tripe.

Agustin Torres investigates - former aide to Healy when he was councilman collapses after argument at bar...

===========================

UPDATE: Nothing criminal before Healy pal's collapse at bar, cops say

by Agustin Torres/The Jersey Journal
Friday February 20, 2009, 10:13 PM

The Astor Bar on Montgomery Street in Jersey City was the scene of a possible fight Sunday morning that left an aide to Mayor Jerramiah Healy hospitalized.

Jersey City police have been unable to confirm that any type of criminal activity was responsible for the hospitalization of a city employee who is listed in "serious condition" following an early Sunday morning altercation in the Astor Bar and Grill.

John Reilly, a friend of Mayor Jerramiah Healy, is identified as the person who at 1:04 a.m. was transported to the Jersey City Medical Center. Reilly was once an aide to Healy when the mayor was a councilman and he is presently a liaison between City Hall and the city's autonomous agencies.

Police Chief Thomas Comey told The Jersey Journal that he had been briefed by the Police Department's Major Case Unit, which investigated the incident following anonymous tips.

"We have identified the patrons in the location and interviewed the majority of them regarding their observations prior to Mr. Reilly's taking ill," said Reilly.

"We also interviewed medical personnel since his admission to the Medical Center. The interviews revealed that Mr. Reilly was in a heated verbal altercation with another patron several minutes before he collapsed. The argument in question was verbal, with both men making gestures toward one another, but it did not escalate to a physical confrontation between the two of them at any time."

Sources have told The Jersey Journal that the other person involved in the Astor Bar incident is also a municipal employee. It has not been revealed what the argument was about. The McGinley Square bar is a popular watering hole for city workers and members of the administration.

Comey added that witnesses confirmed that both men had been separated to opposite ends of the bar and that several minutes later Reilly collapsed and EMTs were called.

According to witnesses, the two men never came to blows, said the chief. He said that medical personnel found no physical trauma on Reilly.

"I have consulted personally with the Hudson County prosecutor throughout the day regarding this investigation and its progress, and we are unable to confirm any type of criminal activity whatsoever that was the causation of Mr. Reilly's condition," said Comey.

The chief does urge anyone who was not identified or already contacted in the investigation to come forward. The police tip line is (201) 547-JAIL.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with John Reilly right now and with his family. We hope that he overcomes this illness and makes a full recovery," said Comey.

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/jerse ... 35201152157841.xml&coll=3

This is the bar I stopped going to after it became illegal to smoke inside businesses.

Used to be a nice, neighborhood bar. People smoked, sure, but it was like any average bar. After the law changed, apparently it became one of the few places in town where the law was flagrantly ignored.

I met a friend for a drink one night and the air was unbreathable. I asked the bartender if they didn't enforce the law there, and he looked me in the eye and smiled when he said, "I don't see anybody smoking."

I didn't buy a drink, my friend and I left, and I never went back.

by Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
Friday February 20, 2009, 7:13 PM

Jersey City police are looking into events at the Astor Bar and Grill and a possible altercation or assault involving an aide to Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy who was taken seriously ill there on Sunday morning, officials told The Jersey Journal today.

Police Director Sam Jefferson confirmed that the department's Major Case Unit is investigating a possible incident at the bar early Sunday between John Reilly and another individual.

At 1:04 a.m. Reilly was at the McGinley Square bar when he collapsed and was rushed to the Jersey City Medical Center in "serious condition," officials said. An update on his condition was not available today.

Police Chief Tom Comey said that upon conclusion of the investigation into "a potential assault," the department will issue a statement on whether there was any criminality.

"Even right now we are still interviewing people and we are conducting a comprehensive investigation," Comey said this afternoon. "There is a tremendous amount of hearsay."

Comey said he personally called Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio to discuss the matter. No one has been charged.

Anyone with information on what happened at the bar that night is asked to call the Jersey City Police Department tipline at (201) 547-JAIL.