Rev Jim Sutter
Denver Fox
October 1, 1995
Barbara Walters
20/20 Channel 7 TV
77 West 66th St.
New York, NY 10023
Dear Ms. Walters,
"VENGEFUL TOWN FATHERS PUNISH DYING MINISTER AS CONCERNED INTERNET
DISCUSSION GROUP RALLIES TO THE RESCUE"
How is that for a lead in to a major story?
Well, it is actually happening in Lakewood, Ohio, where the Mayor and the
Police Chief are using every weapon at their disposal to gain revenge
against a local minister who only wanted the law enforced.
In the words of the Reverend Jim Sutter:
In a nutshell, this is my situation:
I have advocated my hometown of Lakewood, Ohio for compliance with
the Rehab Act of 1973 and the ADA. After some years of
unsuccessful advocacy, I brought action in US District Court,
filed as James Sutter vs. City of Lakewood, Ohio, case # 1:94 CV
1857. In that action, I alleged numerous and continual violations
of the ADA, and also allege the city is perpetuating a of
retaliation against my family and me.
The retaliation started with using the building department to try
to force my landlord to evict me and my family. My landlord
refused, so the city's muni judge threatened to throw my landlord
in jail. Next the city used the muni court for numerous harassing
episodes, I finally put a stop to that form of harassment by
filing a written complaint with the Presiding Judge of Common
Pleas Court. That Presiding Judge issued an Order that Lakewood
Judges are no longer allowed to hear or adjudicate any matters
involving my family or me. Now, the city is using the police
department, with a detective showing up here about ten days ago to
demand all kinds of info on the advocacy group I belong to,
including financial and membership records. The cop made it very
plain that he has been given orders to find something that they
could call fraud, then to arrest me for fraud. Unfortunately for
the cop, any such charge will not stick in the long run because
there was and is absolutely no fraud. Everything has been
extremely well documented and overseen by an experience attorney
to make sure all our operating papers, charter, etc. were in
order. BUT, that won't stop them from arresting me if they feel
like it.
On Sept. 6th, a magistrate judge in my ADA suit issued an order,
finding that the city must obey the ADA, that they have failed to
obey the ADA, and finding that the city has carried out a campaign
of retaliation against me. The city was ordered to stop, and to
pay various fines and sanctions. The city, however, is now saying
that the federal court has no jurisdiction over them, and they
have not only continued their anti-ADA efforts, but they have
stepped up the retaliation.
The city's Law Director is spearheading the city's anti-ADA work,
ordering handicapped signs removed from public parking and even
painting over pavement markings, all in a show of temper and
defiance of the authority of federal court.
Also, this is extremely hard for me to handle this much stress,
because I have many medical problems, including cancer, asthma,
sleep apnea, chronic hypoxemia, congestive heart failure, coronary
artery disease, SCI, and various neuromuscular disabilities. My
latest prognosis is that I only have a few months, at best, to
live.
That's it, the Readers' Digest version. Rev Jim
An unusual aspect of this story is that Rev. Jim corresponds with about 500
subscribers to an Internet discussion group, all around the world, the ADA-
LAW group. They have organized by email and are attempting to bring this
hideous event to public scrutiny.
Won't you help?
For further information, contact me at the address on my letterhead.
Yours very truly,
Denver C. Fox, Ed.D.
df...@csn.net
Charlotte Geier
Charlotte Geier
Rev. Jim Sutter
intervention has relieved me from much of my daily work, and given me the
opportunity to sit back for a short breather (at least, if I don't get
arrested). If I were a car, I'd first be concerned that my warranty has run
out, and that my battery needs a heavy recharge.
Again, thanks, I can't say it enough times. God Bless you all. Rev Jim