Putnam Valley, New York

From Westchester’s Journal-News of June 21, 2007

Police: Ex-cop shoots attacker, who had been served divorce papers

A retired Kent police officer who was serving legal papers to a town man in a divorce proceeding shot the man in the chest twice yesterday after the man attacked him with a police baton, state police said.

Officers went about 4:30 p.m. to 33 Lincoln Road, where 66-year-old Dennis Illuminate had gone to serve divorce papers on Douglas Greenwich, said Capt. Keith Corlett of the state police.

Greenwich, 52, who was at the house to pick up a dresser, became enraged at the sight of Illuminate, who had served him with legal papers on two previous occasions, Corlett said. Illuminate, who is also a former Kent councilman, fired his licensed .25-caliber handgun, striking Greenwich in the upper torso, but the men continued to struggle, Corlett said. Illuminate fired a second round, which also struck Greenwich in the chest, he said.

Greenwich, who was found lying in the driveway by state police, was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center, where he underwent surgery and was listed in stable condition last night.

"It looks like this may be a classic self-defense case," Corlett said. "We're in the process of discussing the case with the Putnam County District Attorney's Office, which will make the decision as to whether any charges will be filed."

Greenwich, an electrician, had moved out of the house and told his wife he was coming by yesterday to pick up a dresser, police said. His wife called her lawyer, who had been having difficulty locating Greenwich to serve him with the legal papers. The lawyer, in turn, called Illuminate to tell him Greenwich would be at the house.

The two men were alone at the house when the incident took place, Corlett said.

Illuminate, a Carmel resident, retired from the town of Kent Police Department 24 years ago and has been an active process server for many years, Corlett said.