Constitutional Law

KingCast open letter to Columbus Prosecutor Richard Pfeiffer on political protester and prison Jerry L. Doyle placement "in the hole."

By Christopher King

You've always struck me as a reasonable guy, and you know I was cool with prosectuting attorneys Anna Firestone (back in Law School) and I'm still cool with Attorney Bill Hedrick from your office; he went to law school with Megan D. at OSU back in the day. Prosecutor Rob Tobias was the one who didn't shake my hand after I won that 4 day Columbus Schools criminal trespass trial for Jerry Doyle, though. You can see some of that in the KingCast short film, "American Lawyer."

So I write you today to let you know that I am extremely concerned about the fact that Jerry, described as a "model prisoner" was put in the hole for weeks on end after he called in to Bob Conners radio show.

We've already seen Councilor Kennedy admit to the Columbus Dispatch that I was correct in suing the City when they didn't call Jerry to speak because he called Mayor Coleman a House Negro. Read this post.

Now you and I both know that's Unconstitutional, but if Jerry's allegations are true this time, you need to take action immediately to do whatever is in your power to investigate this situation and either unseat Judge Bruce Pollitt or Sheriff Karnes because whether through Judicial or sua sponte prison action, you have to have a Due Process hearing before going to the hole, and Jerry didn't get one. But this is not 1965 and Columbus is not Selma, Alabama and that is Unconstitutional. In re Lamb 34 Ohio App.2d 85, 296 N.E.2d 280, Ohio App. 1973. See comments.

I'll be requesting a review of the entire file because I need to know. And as you can see, as a member of the Fourth Estate, I keep a watchful eye on government.

Very truly yours,
Christopher King, J.D./KingCast.net

Full post as published by Chris King's 1st Amendment Page on September 24, 2008 (boomark / email).