Into the Vault: Outlaws, contamination, sexual harassment suits

Posted on by David Forbes

Public documents often help to add understanding to important events in the news. Here’s some recently added items from the Xpress Files:

• Sexual harassment suit against the APD In this federal lawsuit, APD Officer Cherie Byrd alleges that her supervisor, Sgt. Eric Lauffer, sexually harassed her, and that the department, along with some city officials, failed to investigate her allegations and discriminated against female employees.

• APD sexual harassment defense In this legal defense, the APD and city of Asheville’s attorneys admit that APD Sgt. Eric Lauffer sent text messages to Officer Cherie Byrd that she regarded as sexual harassment and derogatory to African-Americans, but denies any wrongdoing.

• EPA letter to David Bradley In this letter, Environmental Protection Agency officials demand information from David Bradley, a Chapel Hill Church Road resident who lives near the contaminated former CTS of Asheville site, about his small home insulation business as a possible source of contamination.  CTS’ lawyers have pointed the finger at a number of surrounding sites, instead of the company’s abandoned electroplating plant.

• The Outlaws indictment In this federal indictment, members of the Asheville chapter of the American Outlaws Association motorcycle club, including President and Treasurer Chris Gagner as well as former member William Davey, are charged with being part of a criminal organization involving extortion, drug trafficking and violence against rival bikers. Twenty-seven Outlaws, including the national president, are named in the indictment.

• Cecil Bothwell’s resolution for campaign finance reform Asheville City Council member Cecil Bothwell’s draft resolution for creating a public-financing option for municipal elections.

• Letter to Pack Conservancy about money owed In this letter from City Attorney Bob Oast to Pack Conservancy Chair Guy Clerici, Oast writes that the Conservancy must work out a plan to pay about $2 million it owes the city of Asheville before it can take over management of the Pack Square Park.

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