Mayor and Chief of Police violate Arkansas Freedom of Information Act - Judge orders records to be tuned over in 24 hours; they now face contempt citation for failing to provide all records

The Mayor and Police Chief are headed for another Contempt of Court hearing

The first hearing in a series of four lawsuits (click here to view the complaint) we filed against the Mayor and Police Chief was held this past Tuesday.

Before any testimony was given and any evidence was introduced, Judge Herbert Wright ordered the city to provide us with the public records they denied us last summer by 5 p.m. the following day.

Judge Herbert Wright

They provided some records, but not all and now face contempt charges. Click here to view our motion for contempt.

In June 2019. we requested the non-exempt portion of personnel files for all LRPD uniformed and plain clothed, non-undercover officers. The city of Little Rock only provided 79 files. At the time they had 529 non-undercover officers.

In an article that appeared in the local on-line newspaper, the city attorney Tom Carpenter was quoted as saying he "did not know why records were not provided" to us back in June 2019. That is an out and out lie. We can prove it.

Take a listen and hear City Attorney Carpenter clearly tell our publisher why and who is the culprit for the violation of the law.

Yep, you heard him, it was none other that Human Resource Director Stacey Witherell.

Stacey Witherell - City of Little Rock HR Director

Arkansas law provides removal for AFOIA scofflaw like Mayor Scott when a finding of "nonfeasance in office" has been adjudicated for a willful and knowing violation of the AFOIA.

The Arkansas Attorney General has explained this in one of her Opinions.

Stay tuned for updates.

###

Links to the other three AFOIA denial of rights lawsuits:

AFOIA Complaint #2

AFOIA Complaint #3

AFOIA Complaint #4

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"

ASP Trooper Jacob Haynie caught on his own mobile video recordings using the N-word

On November 21, 2023, after one of those questionable PIT maneuvers (the ASP now calls Precision Immobilization Technique , or PIT maneuvers, Tactical Vehicle Intervention or TVI) ASP rookie trooper and former Hope Arkansas cop Jacob Haynie was caught on his and other ASP mobile video recordings using profanity and the N-word. ASP policy prohibits the behavior and words Trooper Haynie uttered. That same policy also prohibits actions and behaviors that reflect unfavorably on the ASP. Haynie's wife works at the Hempstead County Assessors office. Wonder if she uses that language at work too? ### The full videos can be viewed on many of the YouTube Channels that feature ASP videos. A follower of one channel identifies Haynie as the one uttering the words. Apparently that individual knows Haynie and might have worked with him at Hope PD. ASP claims no one said the words "climb" or "N***a" and the trooper using the fowl language was actually Tyler Gentry. Ri

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

Snarky Media Report

Search This Blog