GILBERTON, Pa. (AP) — A northeastern Pennsylvania police chief had his suspension extended indefinitely on Friday for posting online videos in which he fired borough-owned automatic weapons while shouting obscenities.
The Gilberton Borough Council had been scheduled to hold a disciplinary hearing for Chief Mark Kessler but had to postpone it because of a scheduling conflict, Kessler's attorney said.
Attorney Joseph Nahas said Kessler's disciplinary hearing will most likely be held next week. The indefinite suspension is expected to remain in place until both sides can meet.
Nahas and Kessler himself have both said they expect the chief to be fired.
Kessler's pro-gun videos have garnered hundreds of thousands of views online. They show him shouting about the Second Amendment and liberals while spraying gun fire.
Kessler acknowledges the videos are inflammatory but says they are designed to draw attention to what he views as the erosion of Second Amendment and other constitutional rights.
Friday was supposed to be the last day of Kessler's 30-day suspension over what the Gilberton council has said was unauthorized use of the weapons. Nahas said Kessler has agreed that his suspension will be extended.
Civil servants facing termination are entitled to a due-process hearing at which they are permitted to respond to the accusations against them.
A decision on Kessler's fate had been expected Friday but will have to wait because of the scheduling conflict.
"The meeting is going to take place, but because there was no meeting this morning, there are going to be different items on the agenda," John Dean, an attorney for the borough, said Friday afternoon.
