Skip to main content

ABC BOARD MAKES MORE BONEHEAD RULINGS



The ABC Board at their October meeting upheld the ABC Administrative Director's decision that two NW Arkansas outlets had gambling devices and issued fine and suspension of permits.

Our course these two outlets are operated by minority individuals, a frequent target of ABC fines and suspensions and denial of permit applications.



Both outlets were represent by attorney Stephen Morley.


As Morley and his witnesses explained, there is no gambling activity or gaming devices in either store.  What these stores are doing is similar to what McDonald's does with their Monopoly Game. 


Or what automobile dealerships use.


These are gimmicks designed to drawn customers in.

A Springdale police officer testified that he purchased a phone card and received "extra entries" into the sweepstakes.  He had received a receipt but did not offer it as evidence, claiming it was in the evidence room back at Springdale PD.

Morley had an exemplar of a receipt and it became clear why the Springdale Police Officer did not bring that receipt.



Morley showed that the receipt clearly had "Free Sweepstakes" on it and it showed that the officer had purchased a phone card and with that purchase he received some additional plays in the free sweepstakes as a product promotion.

ABC Board chairman Dan Greenberg had a great deal of difficulty understanding that a physical phone card was not issued, just a receipts and pass-code used to make phone calls. 

Testimony was subsequently offered that the phone card companies as a general practice no longer issue an actual card. 

The officer then testified that the Springdale Police Department turned the matter over to the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney who declined to file any charges against the outlets.  

That should have been a big red flag for the ABC.

But you have to remember that ABC Enforcement is headed up by an admitted liar - Boyce Hamlet - who was fired by the Arkansas State Police for cheating on an exam and then lying multiple times to ASP Special Investigators. Hamlet then filed false job applications with other law enforcement agencies that hid his hiring and firing by the ASP to obtain jobs in law enforcement that he would not have been able to obtain had he told the truth.



Testimony was introduced that this sweepstakes had been approved by the ABC under former director Michael Langley and it had operated in NWA for several years.  ABC Enforcement agents had been in the outlets many times over the years and never issued any citations for the sweepstakes. 

Langley had popped in the hearing room, but upon hearing his name mentioned quickly rushed out.

The company that operates the sweepstakes testified and presented evidence that clearly explained how the sweepstakes worked and how it generates business and return customers for stores. A couple of the brighter board members appeared to understand. For the others it was like trying to explain rocket science to an imbecile.

It was clear from the nature of the hearing that ABC Board chairman Greenberg wanted to uphold the ABC Director's decision and force the outlet owner to file an appeal of the decision in Circuit Court.

ABC BOARD CHAIRMAN DAN GREENBERG
As it has happened in the past and as it no doubt will with these cases, Attorney Morley will win the appeals and the outlets will not owe a dime in fines or have to suffer a probation period and get payment for all legal fees and costs.

***********

A humorous moment happened in the first hearing when newly ABC attorney
Michael Nelon Harry thought the exemplar receipt had the word, "bet" on it.  Turns out the word was actually "get."

Another humorous moment involving the ABC attorney was when he entered the room.  He is either color blind or has an extremely poor fashion sense.
 
His shirt (purple checked) and tie (green plaid) were terribly mismatched.



 
 

 

Popular posts from this blog

Bryant High School teacher accused of sexual misconduct with a student

The Bryant Police Department confirms an on-going investigation of a now former Bryant teacher, Heather Danielle (Hall) Hare. Hare (age 32) has been accused of sexual contact with a student.  Hare was featured on ABC Good Morning America in May 2020 when a course she taught was discontinued during the pandemic. At this point no details of the alleged illegal conduct have been released. Earlier today the school district posted this on a Bryant Schools Facebook page. According to on-line school board records, Hare submitted her resignation effective April 1, 2023.     Hare is married and is a resident of Conway, AR. KATV featured the Hare family in another story on October 31, 2022. Stay tuned for updates. KTHV featured Hare's daughter in several newscasts . ### ***UPDATE 04/06/23*** Bryant PD provided us with their initial report dated March 31, 2023. ***UPDATE 04/07/23*** Sources report that the Bryant High School football player involved in an "entanglement"

Disgraced ex-LRPD cop and felon lied on her employment application to get job with Arkansas State Police

In 2009, Sheva Howard was a Little Rock cop. She began working at LRPD in 2001 as a Crime Scene Specialist and in 2003 she became a police officer. Howard also worked off-duty, in her LRPD uniform, at Dillard's until she was caught in an act of thievery.  Howard purchased one purse, but it was in a bag so heavy she had to drag it on the ground. That bag was later found to have multiple purses packed into another purse. That incident also ended her career as a cop and gained her a felony conviction.   The LRPD Internal Investigation file reads like a script from an episode of Law & Order.   Howard was found to be untruthful during the internal investigation.   Here's what the local newspaper published about her criminal trial. Howard's supervisor at Dillard's was Willie Robinson. It just so happened that Robinson was and is also an Arkansas State Trooper.   Howard tried to have her conviction overturned but the Arkansas Court of Appeals upheld her conviction.   After

Three LRPD cops "relieved of duty" over incident at Club Trois

Sources at LRPD have confirmed a tip we received that three LRPD cops, Brad Stewart, Lee Pitts and Justin Sims have been "relieved of duty" in connection with an incident at Club Trois. The story we were told is that Stewart was working off-duty at Club Trois and dealt with an inebriated female club patron by soaking her with pepper spray.  LRPD General Order  ("G.O.") 303 requires that a cop that uses physical force, non-lethal control and compliance devices, on or off-duty, follow certain procedures. Use of pepper spray is a Level 4 event. Here are the specific procedures. LRPD sources tell us that they are trained to call MEMS after they use pepper spray or a taser on an individual. They are to file an incident report and they file an officer's report or letter form (5600-2) with their immediate supervisor for each use of force incident. Here's an example of an officer letter form.   Not a single procedure was followed in this incident. And to make matter