From public defender to private practice; A life-changing case and her decision to work in her adopted home town , By Ginny Raue Perhaps it was the Nancy Drew and other mystery novels that she read as a youngster. Perhaps it was her innate interest in the human psyche; people’s actions and the ensuing consequences. Either, or both, Dianne D’Alessandro, Esq., followed her childhood interests and has been engaged in the practice of law for the last 30 years. Born in the Bronx, D’Alessandro was raised in Elmwood Park. She attended Upsala College, earning a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, and then studied at New York Law School where she obtained a Juris Doctorate degree. She was admitted to the bar in 1981. D’Alessandro has lived in West Milford with her husband, John, for the last 17 years. They have two children, adopted from Bosnia, who are now teenagers. She opened her private practice in West Milford in 2009 at the Bald Eagle Commons complex. Prior to that, she spent 23 years in the Office of the Public Defender in Hackensack. She was a senior trial attorney and represented criminal defendants in felony-level cases. While she also has prior experience in contract negotiations, probation, bankruptcy and matrimonial issues, to name a few, it was during her years as a public defender that she handled her most notorious case. While “going postal” is an unfortunate phrase most are now familiar with, D’Alessandro was on the case that brought that terminology to life. A public defender is assigned cases when a person is charged with a crime but cannot afford an attorney. A court panel studies the financial background of the accused and determines if the person is eligible for the services of a public defender. If eligible, an attorney is selected at random, except in murder cases where the public defender is specifically chosen. Such was the scenario when D’Alessandro was selected to represent Joseph M. Harris in a quadruple death penalty case. Harris was accused of murdering his former Ridgewood Post Office supervisor, Carol Ott, her boyfriend and two others. On Oct. 10, 1991, a year after he was fired from his job, dressed as a Ninja warrior and carrying a samurai sword and other weapons, he broke into Ott’s home, shot her boyfriend then attacked Ott with the sword. He then traveled to the Ridgewood post office and killed the first two workers to arrive that day. “He took revenge on those who he thought had ruined his life,” D’Alessandro said. D’Alessandro knew the case would be challenging but did not anticipate the stress level she would live with for the next year. It was a struggle just to humanize Harris in her own mind, she said. “The facts were devastating and sad. I would see the families there all the time. I have family and I understood,” she said. D’Alessandro never planned on winning this case but rather argued to save Harris from the death penalty. In the end he received three life without parole sentences and one death sentence. “On one level you always think that you know if someone is guilty or not. In this case I tried not to deal with that issue. My job was to make an argument to put him in jail and never let him out,” she said. Harris died of natural causes in prison three months later. D’Alessandro at times felt the wrath of victims’ loved ones. On the other hand she sometimes received compassionate understanding from those involved. In most cases her responsibility was not to prove innocence but rather to soften the punishment. She dealt with burglaries, assaults and many drug-related crimes. It was interesting work but now in private practice she is free to choose what cases she will accept. She has been kept busy but hopes to engage in more local work. In the meantime she is enjoying a bit more free time with her family. D’Alessandro enjoys cooking, entertaining and gardening. She is a member of the West Milford Historic Preservation Committee and she and her husband are currently taking an art class. She still reads whodunits - no big mystery there.
Dianne’s Pasta Salad
1 lb. rigatoni or pasta of choice
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped broccoli, including stems if you like
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, to taste
Garlic salt
Fresh ground pepper
Cook pasta in salted water until al dente
Drain, rinse in cold water to stop cooking, set aside
Add onions and garlic to olive oil in very large frying pan and begin to sauté
After several minutes add broccoli and zucchini, continue to cook, stirring frequently to coat vegetables in oil
After five minutes (or when veggie mix is cooked to satisfaction) add contents of fry pan to pasta and mix gently
Add tomatoes and grated cheese, a dash of garlic salt and ground pepper, chill well