MACHIAS — Sheriff John Crowley was in Washington County Superior Court Wednesday afternoon to defend himself against allegations brought in a civil suit by Rep. George Bunker, D-Kossuth Township.

Bunker, a former sheriff’s deputy, is suing Crowley and Washington County for wrongful termination of his job. Crowley fired Bunker on Oct. 28, 1993.

In the third day of trial, Bunker’s attorney, Wayne Doane of Bangor, asked the sheriff about his personnel policies, his hiring practices and his attitude toward Bunker. The sheriff spent most of the time telling the court that he “could not recall” or did not know the answers to the attorney’s questions.

Shortly after taking over as sheriff in January 1991, Crowley said, he learned Bunker had asked Patrol Deputy Sid Hughes to take notes about anything he did not like about the sheriff or then-Chief Deputy Harry Hopkins.

The sheriff said he told Bunker he would not tolerate such conduct because he believed it would undermine department operations. When Doane pressed the sheriff about his opposition to an employee’s right to make notes, Crowley said, “It’s a judgment call.”

Crowley said he learned around September 1991 that Bunker had secretly recorded a telephone conversation with Hopkins from Bunker’s brother-in-law, Robert Gross. Shortly after that, Crowley testified, he asked Bunker to resign, but later changed his mind.

Doane asked Crowley about his personnel records. The sheriff revealed that he not only kept a personnel file on each employee, he also kept a separate “investigative” file on Bunker, which had been labeled a dismissal file. He said it contained material that was not in the personnel file.

Bunker’s attorney pressed Crowley about that information and the fact that none of it had been shown to Bunker. He also questioned Crowley about a termination letter he signed that was in Bunker’s personnel file. The letter apparently was placed in Bunker’s file by mistake when the two sides met in December 1991 at a hearing about Bunker’s employment.

Crowley said he had the letter ready to give to Bunker, but after attending the hearing decided not to terminate him. He said that in January 1992 he sent Bunker a letter suggesting they begin anew.

Doane also asked Crowley about the Aug. 8, 1992, Calais incident when Bunker allegedly was intoxicated and damaged a cruiser. Crowley said much of that investigation had been handed over to his chief deputy.

Bunker’s attorney has tried to show that there was a conspiracy between Crowley and the county commissioners to get rid of the former patrol deputy. But if Doane expected help from Commissioner Ed Cline of Calais, he was disappointed. Cline gave no ground to either Doane or the county’s attorney, William Fisher.

The commissioner told Doane he believed the sheriff had the right to terminate people in his employ and did not have to discuss the matter with the commissioners.

Doane showed the commissioner a copy of Bunker’s Oct. 28, 1993, termination letter and asked him if the commissioners began an investigation after they received the letter.

“We were not involved in any investigation,” Cline snapped. He said it was not the role of the commissioners to conduct an independent investigation. Cline said there had been an appeal hearing before the commissioners where Bunker had been represented by legal council.

When Doane asked Cline if he believed Crowley had followed the correct procedure when he terminated Bunker, Cline said, “If I hadn’t agreed, he would not have been terminated.” He said he and the other two commissioners were in complete agreement.

Fisher asked Cline if he had entered into any kind of agreement with the sheriff to get rid of Bunker. Cline barked, “I absolutely did not.”