Previous real estate commissioners appear in court, one explains elimination process as a 'present day lynching'

IN COURT: Leta Anthony (left) and Lee Lindsey (right) appeared in court Tuesday.
Brian Chilson

Lee Lindsey and Leta Anthony, 2 former commissioners at the Metropolitan Housing Alliance, appeared in court Tuesday morning to argue that they were inappropriately removed from the commission.

The 2 are represented by the real estate authority's lawyer, Sylvester Smith. Both Lindsey and Anthony say they were gotten rid of without due process. Circuit Judge Cara Connors is hearing the case. After almost two hours of evaluating the occasions that resulted in the lawsuit, Connors closed the court after setting a rundown schedule for City Attorney Tom Carpenter..

With little precedent for the removal of commissioners to go on, Connors contacted Carpenter to supply a rundown to illustrate what steps the city took to follow existing statutes to get rid of the commissioners. The judge settled on a Nov. 10 due date, to which Smith will have till Nov. 27 to respond. Carpenter will then, if required, have 3 days to respond..

A momentary restraining order is in result to bar the city of Little Rock from calling commissioners to replace Lindsey and Anthony. After Carpenter and Smith file their reports, Connors will rule on what will happen with the seats now vacant in Lindsey's and Anthony's lack. As is stands, the commission is comprised of three individuals: Kerry Wright, Karen Buchanan and Bruce James. The latter two were designated on Oct. 17..
Ad.
On Sept. 26, the city of Little Rock held a hearing to consider the removal of 3 commissioners after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provided multiple poor reports about the housing authority's management. Those commissioners were Lindsey, Anthony and Wright. The Little Rock Board of Directors voted to oust the very first 2, however kept Wright on the board.

No witnesses were called at this hearing, and Carpenter questioned the commissioners. Rather, he questioned Smith, due to the fact that just the commissioners or the lawyer might speak-- not both..
Ad.
After the vote to remove Anthony and Lindsey, city director Ken Richardson said there was a "skin tone for the connection," since the two board members voted to get rid of from the commission are Black and Wright is white. Richardson offered statement on Tuesday, but Carpenter challenged the significance of Richardson sharing his psychological experience and the judge concurred.

Anthony, who began as a housing commissioner in 2014, likewise took the stand on Tuesday. She detailed the hearing process that Smith referred to as "badly limited." Anthony was not allowed to testify at the hearing, she stated, and it seemed as if the minds of the city officials were already comprised before the hearing started.

She also noted commissioners do not contribute in daily procedures at the Metropolitan Housing Alliance. Rather, the group sets policy, supplies oversight to personnel reports and hires and fires the executive director.

When Smith triggered Anthony to explain the effect the elimination has actually had on her credibility, Carpenter objected. Before that, however, Anthony stated the removal resembled a "present day lynching." She stated her removal has adversely affected her good friends, family and the Metropolitan Housing Alliance as a company.
Advertisement.
Anthony stated she would continue litigation versus the city if the judge decides not to restore Anthony and Lindsey to their positions.