A lawsuit against the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department, the sheriff and a former deputy has been settled for an undisclosed amount of money.
The suit had been filed by Jerry and Sharon Forrester and Barbara Atchley. It alleged that deputies of the Sheriff's Department made illegal searches and arrests in the Forresters' St. Francis County home in 1998.
Also named as defendants were former Deputy Bobby Morphis and Sheriff Dave Parkman.
The suit alleged that Morphis unlawfully detained Sharon Forrester as he conducted an alleged illegal search of the Forrester home. Jerry Forrester was charged with possession of a controlled substance, but the suit alleged that evidence was planted. Charges against Forrester were dismissed.
The case was set to be tried before a jury in federal court in Helena. The amount of the cash settlement is undisclosed.
After U.S. District Judge Stephen Reasoner entered an Order of Dismissal following the settlement, Jerry Forrester was quoted as saying, "I am just glad that this horrible ordeal is over for me and my family. I would like to get my reputation back and just live a normal life. Fighting this lawsuit has been awful, but I hope that police officers everywhere think twice about abusing their power in the future."
Neither Parkman nor the attorney who represented the defendants, Burt Newell of Hot Springs, could be reached for comment this morning.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Airport Commission on Monday voted to allow Gil Gilbreath and Hutcherson Flying Service to continue management of the Forrest City Airport.
The airport manager is responsible for maintaining the airport grounds and keeping the airport open six days a week. Hutcherson Flying service has handled the job for about 18 years.
There was one other party interested in managing the airport. Ray Dawson, an ag flyer whose base of operations is at Brickeys, also attended the meeting to make his pitch.
Gilbreath said it was the intention of Hutcherson Flying Service to ask the commission to seek a 90-10 grant to build a large hangar at the cost of about a half-million dollars. The flying service would pick up the tab for the airport's 10 percent, which would come to an estimated $50,000.
The hangar would be large enough to house both Hutcherson Flying Service and Central Arkansas Turbines, a business which recently moved onto the airport and already is in need of more space.
Gilbreath said that the flying service was asking for a five-year lease with an option to renew for five years.
Dawson had three proposals, only two of which were heard. He said that if the commission wanted to keep Hutcherson Flying Service as the manager, he would be willing to pay $5,000 a year to be able to work from the Forrest City Airport any time he wished.
His second offer was to manage the airport, for which he would pay $50,000 up front for a five-year lease, with an option for five more years, also at $50,000. He said he also had a third offer, but the commissioners never heard it.
Commission Chairman Bill Hays said he believed the commission should be cautious about long leases with options. He reminded the commission of the problems the airport had with the Memphis Soaring Society, which had a 10-year lease followed by a 10-year option.
He said previous agreements for managing the airport had been for three years.
However, after some discussion, it was moved and seconded to accept the offer of Hutcherson Flying Service. The motion was approved.
In other business, earlier in the meeting, Hays reported that the FAA has the airport's scaled down expansion plans but no decision has been made.
On another matter, commission member Homer Jacobs gave a report on maintenance of the airport's paved surfaces. He said city crews have already begun sealing some cracks, and once the city is through, bids will be taken for the rest of the work.
A small amount of marijuana was found when police searched a North Washington Street residence Monday night.
Officers with the Forrest City Police Department executed the search warrant just before 9 p.m. at the home of a juvenile living at 317 N. Washington St., Apt. D, after several citizens had complained to police about possible illegal drug activity in the apartment complex.
Several people were inside the residence, although only the 17-year-old renter was arrested. She is charged with possession of marijuana after police found her with 1.5 grams of the illegal drug. A second subject, Clarence Clark, 23, of Madison, was arrested on a parole violation. Police reported four other people inside the apartment were checked, but no other drugs were found.
FCPD Criminal Investigation Division Sgt. Brian Davis said, "Citizens are encouraged to contact the police department anonymously, if they wish, to report suspicious activity."
Forrest City Crime Stoppers also offers a reward up to $1,000 leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects involved in criminal activity. The Crime Stoppers number is 261-1499.