Delmont father accuses son of defaming him with sex abuse claims

1-6-2011 Pennsylvania:

In a court case that pits father against son, Anthony Cesare of Delmont is asking a Westmoreland County jury to make his 28-year-old son pay for making up a lie that Cesare claims ruined his reputation and cost him business.

In court documents filed more than two years ago, Dominic Cesare accused his 53-year-old father of sexual and emotional abuse, according to Anthony Cesare.

"It's unbelievable. It's totally ridiculous," Anthony Cesare testified Wednesday about his son's allegations.

Dominic Cesare accused his father of sexually abusing him as a teenager in a court document he filed in a custody case in 2008 and in later depositions for the lawsuit.

Attorney Steve Morrison told jurors that the defense to the defamation suit is that the abuse allegations are true.

"The conduct itself is really reprehensible," Morrison said.

Dominic Cesare never reported his allegations to police. Morrison said the disclosure came too late to have a case prosecuted.

According to Anthony Cesare's lawsuit, the sexual abuse allegation surfaced as a manufactured attempt to prevent him from seeing his grandson. Then his son spread those allegations to customers, according to the father.

Both Cesares run competing Delmont-area businesses that install custom-built water treatment systems.

Anthony Cesare said his son's allegations cost him customers.

His lawyer, Amy Cunningham, said there is no proof of any sexual abuse, and her client has since been certified by the Westmoreland County Children's Bureau to act as a foster parent.

"The evidence will show Dominic never, never told anybody about this allegation of sexual abuse before he filled out that custody form," Cunningham told the jury.

The trial before Judge Anthony Marsili will continue this morning. ..Source.. Rich Cholodofsky