Official disputes 'suicide' statement

June 14--SUNBURY -- Northumberland County Prothonotary Justin Dunkelberger disputes a Valley doctor's assertion that Dunkelberger said during a radio broadcast Friday morning he would risk the suicide of a bullied child to collect $5,000 in court payments from a convict.Asked about the remark a day later, Dunkelberger said it has been misconstrued and taken out of context. It does not represent his position.

The remark came about in a phone call Dunkelberger made to WKOK's On the Mark talk show during a discussion with Dr. Anthony Butto, who opposes Northumberland County's plan to collect fines and court costs from 700 individuals by publicizing their photos on billboards and through social media.

It's a bid to increase cost collections in Northumberland County, where $22 million in court-ordered fines and costs are owed.

But Butto, director of Selinsgrove'sCourtyard Counseling Center, says it could put the lives of the children of these individuals at risk by making them susceptible to bullies or even suicide.

While Butto was discussing the issue on Friday morning's radio program, Dunkelberger called in to the show and began to debate with the therapist.

When Dunkelberger assured listeners that billboards with photos of scofflaws will begin appearing on July 1, Butto asked if he was willing to place a child at risk of suicide to collect $5,000.

"I will," a seemingly agitated Dunkelberger responded, talking over Butto. "I have made that decision in my mind."

Butto said he was stunned by the remark and later listened to a tape of the program several times.

"It's indisputable that he said it, but I sincerely hope he doesn't really mean that," Butto said. "Mr. Dunkelberger seems like a very earnest young man, but he's so much into the law enforcement aspect of this issue he's blinded by the consequences."

Accusing Butto of "pressuring the media" to take the exchange out of context, Dunkelberger said his remarks were being made on a cell phone while his computer played the radio program nearby, causing a delayed feed, amid other background noise.

"It was on the delayed feed over my PC that I actually heard him finish the question with 'suicide,' which then led to my objections," he said, referring to his verbal objections when Butto says he doesn't care about children. "I probably should not have called in to the show because of (the background noise and delay), but I did and lesson learned."

Regardless of Dunkelberger's defense, Butto said he has concerns that a public official could be carried away in the "heat of the moment," and he said he plans to reach out to other members of the cost collection team and Northumberland County President Judge William H. Wiest.

Butto said he understands the county's responsibility to collect money from offenders, but he suggested alternatives that would not put vulnerable children at risk, including garnishing wages or revoking drivers' and hunting licenses.

Dunkelberger said he shares Butto's concern about children at risk and that he intends to contact mental health professionals on Monday to discuss the impact the county's billboards may have.

And, he added, despite Butto's attempts to "reverse shame me," Dunkelberger said he is willing to continue the discussion with him.

"Dr. Butto should engage the task force in a manner where we all roll up our sleeves, get our hands dirty and attack the societal problems that have perverted our legal system for 30-plus years," he said.

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