The McAdam's Lawsuit: What is the COLDNews Not Telling You?

[XLFD]

Everything!

Tomorrow the agenda of the Ludington City Council not only has the usual FOIA appeal of an improperly denied FOIA request by yours truly, but they should be going into closed session to discuss the status of what is called the McAdam's Lawsuit with the City of Ludington with their non-City Attorney Allan Vander Laan  (Item 9b). 

 

What is the McAdam's lawsuit?  At this point I can only make an educated guess, but I believe it more than likely involves the owner of Michael's on the Avenue Sue McAdams and what happened early in the summer of 2010 when the "Girls Gone Wild" bus came into Ludington, and the local officials, in particular, LPD Police Chief Mark Barnett, went... wild. 

 

Here is an article from the local newspaper that is so friendly to the Ludington City Hallers that it is now affectionately called the City of Ludington Daily News or COLDNews by those in the know. 

 

"...an appearance Thursday by the Girls Gone Wild bus drew many viewers, at least a few protesters and prompted what appears to have been a parking blockade that limited where the bus could park.

The visit, part of a promotion at Michael’s Bar and Grille in downtown Ludington, also prompted city officials to gather and review with its attorney, Richard Wilson of Gockerman, Wilson, Saylor and Hesslund of Manistee, what, if anything, could or should be done about what was billed as a “bikini party.” ... Michael’s owner Sue McAdam Thurday afternoon told the Daily News, “My intentions are good. I have no intentions of demoralizing our community. I don’t feel there’s anything wrong with it.”

Ludington Police Chief Mark Barnett met with the bus crew prior to the show while it was parked at the Holiday Inn, where the crew stayed overnight,

He said he told them, “I would like to see an event where no girls were being filmed in the bus and no girls were taken to the bus and they lived up to that, and kept their promise that they wouldn’t take any girls to the bus and they wouldn’t film on the bus,” he said....

“I am not condoning what Girls Gone Wild does and I’m not promoting that,”  she (McAdam) said.

“I didn’t realize it was that big of a deal,” she continued. She said it was a business decision following a financially difficult winter. She said the establishment is behind on its taxes and is trying to get back to even.

“We won’t have them back. I apologize, but it was a business decision. What’s the big deal?”

http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/news/50436-not-so-wild-in-ludingt...

Reader's comment at the bottom of the article go both ways, but one of the poster's "Sherry" says something that may have become reality:  "The people on the ggw bus did NOT break the law. The people at the bar did NOT break the law. The people from the churches, they DID break the law. The chief of police, He DID break the law. The article in the paper said the leaders of this town conferred with their lawyer before taking action. I think the bar owners should confer with their lawyers cause they have a lawsuit against the city. And they will win..." 

 

With a variety of actions done by the City of Ludington to suppress the expression of free speech, started by Chief Barnett supported by the Manistee-based City Attorneys and other City Hallers who should know better (where have I heard this story before?) their questionable actions bespeak a germination of a lawsuit by Sue McAdams on this aspect alone.  I will do some more research, and get back to this thread on the specifics I uncover, and would appreciate any more factual information supplied by anyone who knows anything about this lawsuit to be disseminated to the public at large on this website.  As far as the COLDNews, they have reported nothing to the public as of yet, not even in discussing what is scheduled to happen at the City Council meeting tomorrow when this is scheduled to go into closed session. 

[Brian Carlson]

Some interesting reading. They used the tazers on him while handcuffed to a hospital bed. 

[XLFD]

I sure do!  Erasing the camera evidence should be a big negative if this does go to trial.  The police have no right to do that, and McAdams had every right to record the proceedings if the facts presented in the complaint and answers to the complaint are close to being true. 

[Angela]

again Johanna - it is not gossip or hearsay - it is the truth and so be it if someone else proved it - IT WAS STILL PROVEN AND AGAIN YOU WERE WRONG lol - nanann hahahhah

[Chuck Finley]

So if I read right the mcsd failed to train. I thought we were told that they had all the training training they needed by the sheriff but now it gonna cost money because they didn't train?

[Angela]

exactly ONE of many reasons that Fiers shouldnt be sheriff anymore

[Chuck Finley]

So this was one of the things that he said he didn't do but he did? So are you telling me the sheriff is lying
?

[Angela]

yes I am saying the Fiers is lying

[XLFD]

The problem is deeper than training, but it does give me some problems with the current sheriff, and his standing mute on this incident while saying he believes in the Oath of Office. 

This was some serious crap going down, serious infractions by the LPD and MCSO and it shows a lack of leadership on Fiers' part not to comment negatively on this and to put up with the employment of Dr. Warm in the jail consequently to this incident.  But it doesn't make me feel good about Kim Cole either, as these bad boys in county brown were his guys running wild.  I feel sad for the whole area. 

[Chuck Finley]

So this is the complete flip flop of what you said earlier but what others have been trying to tell you about the sheriff the whole time. With our the proper leadership and training I can see how this could happen..... Oh wait it's not his responcabilty to lead or make sure policies and rules are followed. Right?

[Angela]

Fiers has the final say who gets hired into the jail and who does not - so to hire someone who has been accused or brutality is beyond me - you REALLY want this guy in office still???? I am going to talk to Cole about this see what he has to say. like who was the Sgt on duty when Davila & Wilson did this

[XLFD]

I am definitely having second thoughts, Angela, as shown by my plea for answers with Sheriff Fiers.  As it is, I'm not sure I want either of them as the Sheriff.  Good question, John; does anyone know when he switched from LPD to MCSO?

[Brian Carlson]

Joint Status report: