JUDICIAL TRICK
Baldwin County has had a reputation of judicial malfeasance, trickery and out right corruption. Citizens read about it in Lagniappe or on line however nothing changes. Some Judges and lawyers feel insulated from any accountability, they are shielded by an inept system that abuses it’s citizens. Ethics laws are designed to PROTECT the very elected and appointed officials that use their positions, to their advantage/
The 18th through the 20th is the estimated time Alabama should peak in the coronavirus. The Fairhope City Council President Jack Burrell, supported by council, just canceled Public Participation.
Newspapers and Lagniappe are having to scale back their business limiting news coverage. Everybody is distracted, perfect timing for Judicial trickery.
this article is on a paywall or offered free in numerous locations
This should convince Fairhope voters how CATALYST works.
This case involves Ronan McSherry, who owns McSherry’s Bar in Fairhope.
Mr McSherry has a notorious reputation for alcohol related incidents. Arrested multiple times, and on probation from a previous incident, McSherry shoved Paula Dinardi off a bar stool, November 22nd 2018. The assault was captured on film.
Baldwin County Circuit Judge Clark Stankoski, who “requested” to hear the case, dismissed the most serious charge, which is on video, of assault, which McSherry already plead guilty to in municipal court.
The incident happened in November 22 2018, since that time the case has been put off time and time again. A common practice in Baldwin County the longer the case takes the less attention it gets. Lawyer John Beck, for McSherry has accused the Mayor, Lagniappe, attorney’s and your’s truly, claiming McSherry’s actions are “politically motivated”. Beck parted ways with McSherry? Why?
McSherry’s next lawyer, James Pittman, brother of boom boom Pittman, issued subpoena’s to all the above and Judge Stankoski partially granted Pittman’s subpoena. He ruled that the “State’s shield law
does protect the newspapers sources, but does not protect the information they provide”. This is a very odd ruling as the shield laws have have been litigated countless times, contrary to Stankoski’s ruling.
The assault charge, Stankoski dropped was based on the fact that the municipal attorney, Marcus McDowell, failed to amend the charge of assault, to include: ”did cause bodily harm”, on the Fairhope charging document. It seems a year went by and McDowell failed to amend the original complaint. If you believe this I have some stock in a gold mine in Belize that you may be interested in investing in.
Here is the Backstory. McDowell, unsuccessfully represented Burrell when Burrell as council president denied me the ability to speak at a city council meeting. Burrell is best buddies with McSherry. So we are to believe that McDowell forgot for over a year, as city prosecutor, to amend the assault charge? Now, all those delays seem to be part of a larger plan. McDowell should be fired, but wait the council would have to do that, and he is their lawyer???
McSherry has not spent a day in jail and has been to Fairhope municipal court multiple times. Municipal Judge Snedeker accepted McSherry’s guilty plea and sentenced him to 180 days in jail and credited him with two months he :allegedly” spent in re-hab.
The intoxication charge is pending and Diniardi has filed a civil charge against McSherry. Judge Stankoski is presiding over the civil case as well. What’s the next trick?
Four years ago we elected a new Mayor and council. The Mayor wanted a fresh start and a new city attorney as well as a municipal judge. The CATALYST council wanted the old “established” attorney and judge. Since that time both Judge and Attorney have been embroiled in several highly political issues, where their loyalties were clearly in favor of the CATALYST council, not the citizens of Fairhope.
This next election Fairhope needs a new council. With a new council the City attorney and Municipal Judge, appointed positions, can be replaced.