Perez’s accuser was Miriam Martinez, who ran unsuccessfully for sheriff in 2011 as an independent, and who alleged that Perez physically pushed her.
TRENTON — A lawyer for mayoral candidate Paul Perez yesterday sent a “cease and desist” letter to a former Mercer County sheriff candidate who alleged on Facebook that Perez assaulted her over the weekend.
Perez’s accuser was Miriam Martinez, who ran unsuccessfully for sheriff in 2011 as an independent, and who alleged that Perez physically pushed her.
“This man likes to hit on women. I can speak on this because I was assault (sic) by him and witness (sic) by many,” Martinez wrote on Facebook Sunday morning. “This man is mentally unstable to run for city government. Trenton can’t afford more lawsuits!!!”
In the letter, Perez’s attorney Rudolph Palombi demanded that Martinez remove the posts and provide assurance that they wouldn’t continue, in addition to “publicly retracting (her) false and malicious statements by the same means and manner in which they were published.”
Perez, a former government security consultant who has promised to increase investment in Trenton and create a Williamsburg-style history attraction here if elected, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
“You have purposely, recklessly and maliciously engaged in the making and distribution of false, destructive and defamatory information about Mr. Perez,” Palombi wrote in the letter to Martinez, who could not be reached for comment last night.
Identical cease-and-desist letters were sent to Trenton residents Juan Martinez, Robert Chilson and Gregory Usberti, who commented on Martinez’s Facebook post and made other alleged “defamation.”
Chilson wrote that Martinez asked Perez “some questions about his previous employment claims and he became irate.”
“There was several witnesses to the physical ‘push,’” Chilson wrote on Facebook.
“Afterwards, he scurried out of the park in a different direction than which he entered.”
“He and Miriam talked and had a disagreement,” Juan Martinez wrote. “After that, Paul flipped out and assaulted Miriam.”

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