Friday, December 18, 2009

Seipler beats motions in Federal court

This morning's Northwest Herald announces that Zane Seipler, Republican candidate for Sheriff in the February 2 Primary election, won on two preliminary motions in Federal Court in his case against the McHenry County Sheriff's Department and incumbent Sheriff Keith Nygren.

On what did Judge Frederick Kapala rule? The print edition of the Northwest Herald indicated that Judge Kapala's decision can be read online; only at 7:00AM it can't. So I cannot read the exact ruling. Also, I cannot determine whether McHenry County is a party to Zane's lawsuit, as well as the Sheriff's Department. Or what other defendants are named.

The Sheriff's Department was trying to get Zane's case dismissed. It failed.

So which attorney gets the first shot? James Sotos. He is identified in the article as the attorney "for the county." Is he the attorney for McHenry County or just for the Sheriff's Department?

Sotos explained the judge's decision. "He's basically saying that there's enough alleged to move forward with the case," as he told the NWH reporter.

Sotos also got the last shot in the article, when he told the reporter, "...the notion that this (racial profiling) is going on the McHenry County's Sheriff's Office is ridiculous." (Yes, that's how the article read.)

Well, what else would a defense attorney say? Let's see if he has to eat those words, when Judge Kapala finally conducts the trial years from now and renders his decision.

I wondered a couple of things after I read the NWH article.

The NWH quoted the attorney whose side lost in the decision. Where was the quote from the successful attorney, Zane's attorney?

The headline above the continuation of the article on Page 4B read, "Nygren plans to appeal arbitrator's ruling in McHenry County Circuit Court." Nygren is getting a lot of press about what he is "planning" to do.

If Nygren is going to appeal the arbitrator's ruling, why doesn't he just do it? "Planning" is not "doing." Will he wait until January 19, less than two weeks before the February 2 Primary Election, to "decide"?

Is this the fair treatment that employees of the Sheriff's Department (or McHenry County) can expect, when their jobs (and their lives) hang in limbo because an elected official can't (won't!) make a decision?

In the meantime, Zane is accruing pay and is not having to work for it. I'll bet he'd rather be working for it.

McHenry County deserves better.

4 comments:

GeneL said...

Another big win for Zane.

Another loss for Curious1, Justasking, Splashout, SirPumpkin, and of course Nygren. I guess being a bully doesn't work in the federal courts.

Zane said...

I wish this would just end, all ready. Many of us saw what happened to Zane. It wasn't right. In the mean time the rest of us sit and wonder what are we going to do when we are brought in for the depositions. That's all people talk about. No one knows who is going to be called or when. It makes work unbearable. All because of certain supervisors and their egos. I don't think the Sheriff has a clue what goes on in this place. Now it is the rest of us that are going to be put out there, careers on the line. I wish all the people involved with this would just resign or move on. I'm embarrassed to be a part of this department. Everyday it's somethng new. My friends and family always asking me questions. At some point these people need to think about something besides themselves.

What is Zane going to do with his lawsuit if he wins the primary?

I've never voted in a primary before. I will this time. I hope the nonsense ends if Zane wins. He can't do any worse than the administration we have now. It would be nice to go to work happy again.

Gus said...

Observer, thanks for your insightful comment. It feels to me like you are speaking for the many deputies who are very hesitant to speak up or speak out.

Unfortunately, the nonsense will not stop on February 3. In fact, I would guess that it will increase until November 30.

But hang on. Change is coming.

Outsider said...

Keep your head up observer. There a lot people working hard to make a change. You and your co-workers can do the same by uniting and exercising your right to vote 02/02/2010. Days of intimidation, corruption, and unprofessionalism are numbered. Remember this, Nygren doesn't have the influence he once had, he couldn't get rid of Bianchi a few years ago. And Seipler isn't going anywhere.