Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Sins of the City?


Muscle Shoals City Hall
It's unfortunate the Muscle Shoals Civil Service Board didn't allow Billy Underwood and Johnnie Franks to call their eight witnesses in an attempt to show selective prosecution in today's Deerslayer hearing. While we don't think this defense would have produced a different verdict, the testimony would have been very enlightening...and entertaining.

And just what other "sins of the city" was Mr. Underwood referring to? Would they have called Mayor Bradford? Would they have questioned the exact number of killer turtles the former police officer has slain while on duty?

Now that Greg Scoggins is headed for circuit court, perhaps his attorneys will advise him that a windbreaker isn't exactly proper attire for such legal proceedings. Or maybe after paying his attorneys' fees the unemployed Scoggins couldn't afford a new suit?

*****

That pesky Sunshine Law has again popped up. More lawsuits against Muscle Shoals. This one seems much more winnable for Scoggins, assuming he would be entitled to punitive damages for the board's faux pas.

Do you wonder if certain elected officials and/or boards just do what they want on the grounds that they mean well? And after all, why would the Sunshine Law apply to them; they're so special.

*****

A commenter has brought up the DUI conviction of Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan. Logan appealed his conviction not on his claim of innocence, but on the claim of a questionable law. Not a very good example, but as far as we know he hasn't  been shooting any innocent turtles either. Sadly, if Logan's legal battle is any indicator, we'll be reading about the Scoggins case for years to come.



Shoalanda

8 comments:

  1. One has to think would Mr.Scoggins been better off without representation,.... Sure couldn't have been any worse.

    ReplyDelete
  2. BREAKING NEWS! Muscle Shoals to unveil new neon signs on Woodward and Avalon! “WHAT HAPPENS HERE STAYS HERE!”

    Muscle Shoals has officially made the Top 10 Worst Run Cities in the U.S. Now, one might think Muscle Shoals couldn’t possibly compete with such cities as NYC, New Orleans, Chicago and Detroit in the “corruption” department. Alas! You are WRONG! Tales of turtle murder, police officers fraternizing with inmates, and Civil Service members violating the Open Meeting Law have now placed Muscle Shoals at the top of that list! According to Attorney Billy Underwood, there are other “sins of the city” which have yet to surface.

    How delightful it will be when gambling and prostitution become legal! Oh, I forgot! They don’t HAVE to be legal for the Muscle Shoals upper echelon! Rules don’t apply to them (wink wink!)

    Wait…perhaps that is what Underwood plans to bring to light? Maybe he needs to start watching his back. He sure hasn’t made any new friends.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Muscle Shoals has for as long as I can remember been corrupt. It goes back to the days of Robbie Martin, Hansel Cross a police officer being acquitted for his wife's murder. She died of poisoning and no one was ever convicted, all the way to now. Mayor Bradford cheated on math tests in high school via looking on someone elses paper. But none of that has anything to do with the Scoggins case. None of that matters. What matters is MSC just added another sin TO the city.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You don't really think those things happened do you? Kind of like all the allegations during the Scoggins deal.

      I have a gut feeling when this goes to courth, there is going to be standing room only. Little Payton Place's secrets are all going to be layed out for a jury.

      Lawd - d- mercy, if it's stacked with folks from other cities we're gonna see some interesting things happen.

      Looks to me like the city council needs to get a handle on that Board and city attorney. Sounds like there is a total disregard for the law - But wait, we're talking about Muscle Shoals. The law doesn't apply to the powers to be in Muscle Shoals.

      Watch out City Civil Service Employees, you're next.

      If there's any good divorce attorneys out there, have your business cards ready. When all these city employees get exposed for their "moral indiscretions", you might have more business than you can handle.

      Delete
  4. Several Cherokee citizens are famous for filing ethics complaints. I would suggest those with knowledge of all the voodoo hoodoo in Muscle Shoals do the same.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hope the sun shines on some of the "sins of the city." That would be interesting reading.

    ReplyDelete
  6. OMG. If I were a civil service employee in Muscle Shoals I would scared out of my wits.

    You have NO recourse if the department head (who is appointed by Mayor Bradford) and Mayor Bradford wants to get rid of you.

    NO WITNESSES at the appeal???

    WHAT IS UP WITH THAT - TALK ABOUT MUSCLE SHOALS COMMUNISM - DO IT OUR WAY OR ELSE.

    wow.

    ReplyDelete
  7. not sure why a difference is made about the accepted practices by the powers to be in M.S.

    How the heck can a police chief and mayor tell employees to use equipment (cars) and time on the clock for personal business and shopping and then fire a policeman for getting his dinner (deer meat).

    I'm really glad no-one can POSSESS A FIREMAN in M.S. any longer. I've really had a problem with my ole lady for doing that.

    WIVES OF FIREMEN - YO MAN IS SAFE IN M.S.

    ReplyDelete