Steve Mensing, Editor
♦ This morning in Salisbury’s Superior Court the City of Salisbury’s attorney’s attempt to seal the deposition of ex-Police Chief Rory Collins in the Kenneth S. Lane v. the City of Salisbury experienced two changes. The First: Superior Court Judge Anna Mills Wagner recused herself from hearing the case and was replaced by Mecklenburg County Superior Court Judge Robert C. Ervin the grandson of the late North Carolina Senator Sam Ervin who presided over the Senate Watergate Committee and was a champion of civil liberties. The Second: Judge Ervin quickly removed the city’s attempt to argue their motion “en camera” (a secret proceeding the media and the public are barred from) to seal the ex-Chief’s deposition.
Sources say the Judge is reviewing a copy of the deposition and will likely have a ruling sometime later in the week.
In the interim persons interested in Salisbury’s City Government and its former Chief of Police Rory Collins can read and download Collin’s deposition here on the Rowan Free Press.
DEPOSITION OF EX-SALISBURY POLICE CHIEF RORY COLLINS (COMPLETE PDF.)
This Morning’s Article: “Today, February 22nd the City of Salisbury, N.C. will Attempt to Seal the Deposition of Ex-Chief Rory Collins in a Secret Proceeding”
RFP Staff
♦ Monday, February 22nd the City of Salisbury will attempt to argue their motion “en camera” (a secret proceeding the media and public are barred from) to seal the deposition of ex-Chief Rory Collins in Lane v. City of Salisbury. While Rowan Free Press is not a named party and thus, can not appear, the clear intent of this motion is to prevent Plaintiff Kenny Lane from publishing the contents of this deposition to RFP and the public.
This request is specious, as such deposition, in its entirety, was published by the RFP staff and editors for over a week and is, no doubt, in the hands of many hundreds, if not thousands as we speak. The citizen’s right to know and RFP’s right to publish, under the 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution, is sacrosanct and inalienable, despite the “City of Smoke and Mirrors” best efforts to hide the truth from citizens and taxpayers.
Important issues such as the ex-Chief violating Police policy by carrying a city issued weapon and driving a city issued vehicle while under the influence of Oxycotin for over ten years, an internal affairs investigation derailed by internal affairs collusion and the revelation that Salisbury H-R, not the Chief, controls hiring and firing at SPD in violation of City grievance policy, are already out there and a matter of wide spread public discussion. In short, that cow already cleared the fence, backstroked down to the creek, died and was washed out to sea.
The most amazing thing is that the League of Municipalities paid attorneys are complicit in this brazen attempt to hide and cover-up the truth that is emblematic of the debacle that is “Salisbury City government” and that they have the temerity to seek to have such a decision made outside the bright shining light of public inquiry. Shame on them.
We will report as much as allowed from today’s “secret” proceedings.
