Eviction case due back in state court on Oct. 5
BY MARK ROSMAN Staff Writer

MANALAPAN - The two sides in a court case that involves a candidate who is running for a seat on the Township Committee are due back in court on Oct. 5 for the next hearing in a father vs. son battle.

Drew Shapiro, a Democratic candidate for a three-year term on the Township Committee, and his father, Murry Shapiro, the owner of Heirloom 73 Jewelry Ltd., Freehold, are expected to return to the courtroom of state Superior Court Judge Terence P. Flynn, sitting in Freehold.

Drew Shapiro is represented by attorney Eric Abraham. Murry Shapiro is represented by attorney Stuart Moskovitz.

Drew Shapiro is attempting to evict Murry Shapiro from a building he (Drew Shapiro) owns at 6 Throckmorton St., Freehold. Drew Shapiro, who is a former officer of Heirloom 73, has said his father has not paid rent that is owed on the space in the building.

In a hearing held Sept. 11, Flynn issued an order that bars Drew Shapiro and his company Three Girls Realty LLC "from taking any steps toward evicting (Murry Shapiro) from its headquarters at 6 Throckmorton St."

The order also bars Drew Shapiro from "taking any steps toward selling the building" and it restrains Drew Shapiro "from exercising any control of or otherwise causing the expenditure of any funds in any account belonging to (Murry Shapiro)."

Murry Shapiro's application for Drew Shapiro to be restrained from representing himself directly or indirectly as having any relationship to him (Murry Shapiro) was granted.

Drew Shapiro was ordered to take steps to ensure that an Internet Web site operated by Murry Shapiro was returned to his (Murry Shapiro's) full use. Drew Shapiro was also ordered not to interfere in any way with the operation of the Web site.

Murry Shapiro's application to have Abraham removed from the case due to a conflict of interest was denied by Flynn pending a further hearing on the matter.

Three other items were also denied:

• Murry Shapiro's application for Drew Shapiro to be restrained from directly or indirectly contacting, soliciting or otherwise communicating with anyone who is or at anytime was a client or customer of Murry Shapiro;

• Murry Shapiro's application for Drew Shapiro to be restrained from using or disclosing any confidential or proprietary knowledge or information concerning the conduct and detail of Murry Shapiro's business;

• Murry Shapiro's application to sever this matter from the landlord-tenant action.

In an Aug. 21 brief, Moskovitz alleged that by helping himself to funds belonging to Heirloom 73, a company started and owned by Murry Shapiro, Drew Shapiro sought to defraud his father and violated the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute.

Moskovitz has alleged that Drew Shapiro withdrew in excess of $10,000 from the business (Heirloom 73) owned by his father in order to pay for goods he ordered for one of three competing companies he started, without the elder Shapiro's knowledge.

Moskovitz is seeking damages for his client, Murry Shapiro, in excess of $100,000.

Drew Shapiro has resigned from his position as a vice president of Heirloom 73. His action seeking to evict his father's business from the Throckmorton Street, Freehold, building he owns followed his resignation from Heirloom 73. He claims his father has not paid rent for space in the building.

Drew Shapiro owns the building in the name of Three Girls Realty, a company he formed and solely owns.