Clay to file civil suit against Alton officials after his arrest
ALTON — Right to Know advocate Jeffrey Clay plans to file a civil law suit against the town of Alton’s police department and the Board of Selectmen, after he was arrested for disorderly conduct, during a public forum, Feb. 3.
Clay said on Wednesday that the board had the chief of police, or one of his officers, sitting behind him during three board meetings before his arrest date. Clay said he was informed that the board was trying to intimidate him, and make him fearful of speaking his mind.
Clay has recently been calling for all of the board’s members to resign, claiming that they have been violating the state’s Right to Know laws.
“I have repeatedly spoken to the board, regarding this issue, over the past several months in an attempt to resolve the issues without having to take them to court. Their response to my concerns, however, was silence. No discussion. No taking responsibility for their actions,” Clay said.
Clay said instead of correcting their violations, board members continued to commit them.
“That is why I asked them to resign,” Clay said. “My point was, if you are unwilling to follow the law, and respect the rights of the citizens, then they should resign.”
Police Chief Ryan Heath, who arrested Clay, has a different view on the incidents leading up to his arrest. Heath said that Clay has a script that he is reading from when he approaches the board, during their meetings. As the script continues, Clay makes personal attacks on a family member of one of the people who sits on the board.
“It is not relevant to any business being talked about,” Heath said. “He is reading from the same script about Right to Know laws, but it doesn’t specify any incident. He says, ‘You guys violated the Right to Know laws.’ Well then, when, and how?”
Heath said Clay, who was removed from board meetings twice before his arrest on Feb. 3, approached the school board with the same accusations before waging his attacks on the board of selectmen. Heath said that, according to Clay, every public official in Alton violates the Right to Know laws.
Heath said that the selectmen have adopted a series of rules for public participation, which prohibits defamatory statements, because of Clay’s scripted accusations.
As for claims that he hurt Clay while putting him under arrest, Heath said Clay is “completely embellishing.”
When removing Clay from the meeting room, he placed his left arm behind his back and walked behind him into an outside hallway, where he let Clay go until back up officers arrived.
“It’s called the escort position,” Heath said. “That’s what they teach at the police academy. There was no pressure on his arm.”
Clay said on Wednesday that his arm and shoulder are still sore, but he will not be seeking medical attention for the pain. He added that “psychologically, the entire process has been traumatizing.”
Mark Sisti of Sisti Law Offices in Chichester said he will be representing Clay as he defends himself against the two Class B misdemeanor charges against him. Sisti is also expected to file the civil suit on Clay’s behalf.
Sisti said what he saw in the video of Clay’s arrest was appalling. He intends to defend the charges against Clay by using the First Amendment, and his client’s right to free speech.
Clay, who regularly contributes letters to the editor at Foster’s Daily Democrat, has also filed lawsuits against Dover’s school board, claiming a violation of the state’s laws regarding public meetings.