Court: Daniel Karpen can return to Huntington Town Hall where he bit cop

Daniel Karpen, the Huntington man arrested after he bit a Suffolk police officer at a town board meeting in June, is allowed to return to town hall.

Karpen, 66, agreed to a deal in which he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor resisting arrest. The plea was entered Oct. 9.

Karpen was sentenced to a conditional discharge with a permanent order of protection to not harass the female officer whom he bit on the arm at a June 17 board meeting.

He was initially charged with disorderly conduct, third-degree criminal trespass, resisting arrest and second-degree assault.

Karpen declined to comment and said he was unsure whether he would attend the Oct. 21 town board meeting.

"The judge refused to issue a stay away order of protection that would have barred the defendant from Town Hall because he felt this would unconstitutionally affect the defendant's civil rights," according to a statement from the Suffolk County district attorney's office.

Suffolk police said the incident started when a public safety officer asked to see Karpen's backpack. They said he refused and was asked to step outside but ran into the town board meeting, where residents had gathered to discuss a contentious construction project in Elwood.

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When Suffolk Second Precinct officers attempted to handcuff Karpen for causing a disturbance, he bit the officer, police said.

Karpen's attorney, Darrin Berger of Huntington, did not return calls for comment but had said the restraining order that ensued after the incident was an effort to keep Karpen out of town hall.

Karpen has been a regular at town hall for decades, known for wearing wooden shoes and for advocating on behalf of environmental issues.

A spokesman for the town declined to comment on Karpen.