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By JOE HEALEY jhealey@leader.net
Friday, February 04, 2000 Page: 3A
COURTDALE – Officials confirmed the body they pulled from a Corby Road home
Wednesday was that of Councilman Charles Broody III.
Broody, 34, was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Wednesday night, Luzerne
County Chief Deputy Coroner Joe Shaver said Thursday. The call to Broody’s
home came in to police as a reported drug overdose, said a 911 spokesman.
Shaver said an autopsy was performed Thursday and there were no signs of
trauma, which rules out foul play. He said toxicology tests for various drugs
were performed and he would not have the results for several weeks.
He said the manner of death is under investigation.
Broody, a former Democratic mayor, replaced his father as mayor when his
father moved out of the borough. He lost the mayoral election to the present
Mayor James Gaughan, but was given Gaughan’s council seat. He won a full
four-year term in November.
Mayor Gaughan could not be reached for comment.
Borough Solicitor Joseph Rish said it was too early to think about
replacing Broody on the council.
“Everyone’s in shock,” he said. “It’s just sinking in now. We haven’t
gotten beyond that. It’s too early to talk about a replacement.
He said the council has 30 days to fill a vacancy. If the council does not
make the appointment, the borough’s vacancy board will meet. That board
consists of the council and a registered voter from the borough.
That board has 15 days to fill the post. If the vacancy still isn’t filled,
the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas will make the appointment, Rish said.
He said the council already has one vacancy on it. He said Tony DeSantis,
who is the registered voter on the vacancy board, was elected to council in
November, but could not take the seat because he recently accepted a federal
job. Rish said a federal employee cannot hold office.
Rish said the first vacancy will likely be filled at the council’s next
meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 14.
Call Healey at 829-7225.