Litigation

33 News Segment on Basketball Floor Donated by Mavs

By Angel L. Reyes, III

Reyes Bartolomei Browne is the law firm representing Donnell, Hayden, co-founder of the Gang Intervention Community Outreach Program in their plight to keep the $11,000 basketball floor located in the Saint James AME Church. The Dallas Mavericks donated the floor to the Gang Intervention Community Outreach Program. However, the church claims the right to the floor, stating the floor might be an 'alteration, improvement, fixture or addition' to the church, making it church property. Our position is that the floor is easily removable and was a gift from the Mavs, making it the property of the GICOP.

Please view the 33 News segment about this case and the text of the story below:

Anti-Gang Program, Church Battle over Basketball Floor
The 33 News
By Holly Yan
November 21, 2009

DALLAS - A stalemate over a lease between a gang prevention program and a southern Dallas church left many teens packing today.

"It made me frustrated, as to take something away from us that we've been doing for years," said 13-year-old Tafa Witter, who plays basketball with the Gang Intervention Community Outreach Program. "It helps a lot of kids that other people won't help because they're on the streets."

The dilemma centers on one question: Who owns the $11,000 basketball floor inside the Saint James AME Church?

"The Dallas Mavericks kindly gave us the floor because we were playing on concrete," GICOP co-founder Donnell Hayden said.

The Dallas Mavericks' Web site lists Hayden's gang intervention program as the recipient of the floor.

But according to the church, the floor might be an "alteration, improvement, fixture or addition" to the church - and therefore would be church property.

The church's attorney, William O. Kelly, said he will continue looking into who is the legal owner of the floor and plans to examine the facility next week.

But basketball program members say the floor easily lifts off - it's not attached, glued or nailed to the church.

"I believe they're just trying to rent the space and get major money because we never fit what they're trying to do," Hayden said.

Church representatives wouldn't allow us on the property and refused to speak on camera today.

But President Pro Tem Azlee Baker said off-camera, "We offered them a one-year lease to stay in the building. We didn't want them to go. They decided to go."

The gang intervention program has played basketball in the church since 2000, but never had a formal lease. GICOP said it typically gave the church $300 a month.

Hayden said the church wanted a formal lease and $350 a month for rent.

"We didn't mind paying it," Hayden said. "It wasn't about the money. It was about when we left, they wanted to take our floor."

Former gang member Lamont Levels, who was blinded after a gunshot wound to the head, said the debate is a sad situation - not just for adults, but also for the kids.

"We got to put our differences aside sometimes, whether it's money, whether it's property, whether it's anything," the youth educator said. "Let's focus on saving our kids' lives and directing them in the right direction."

©2009 Angel Reyes
www.ReyesLaw.com

Full post as published by Angel Reyes Blog on November 24, 2009 (boomark / email).