Resident intends to sue city of Ozark after they took his freedom of speech; affidavit says
OZARK, Ala. (WDHN) — A Wiregrass man is asking for the city of Ozark to pay him millions of dollars after he says his freedom of speech was taken away and he was wrongfully arrested following an argument with Mayor Mark Blankenship.
A decorated military veteran, Bryant Fontenot filed for his intent to sue the city of Ozark for $3 million Thursday.
“The City of Ozark and the mayor of Ozark have tried to violate my client’s First Amendment rights,” Fontenot’s attorney, Andrew Scarborough said. “They have tried to impede his ability to participate in civic action.”
Fontenot was part of a group that pushed for the censure of Mayor Mark Blankenship regarding comments he made about books from the Dale County Public Library last October. Then in January after a city council meeting, the two men had a talk in the parking lot.
Blankenship’s attorney claims that his client felt concerned after Fontenot tried to talk to him and even threatened Fontenot with a restraining order and asked Fontenot to leave.
This instance led to police arresting Fontenot and charging him with harassment.
“We were ready to continue with some holiday traveling, but we can’t anymore,” Fontenot said. “My freedom to move out was suspended if not prohibited and then I didn’t know who I could talk to and couldn’t talk to because he was the mayor of Ozark.”
His criminal charges were presented before a city judge in a trial.
During the trial, Scarborough showed the judge 8 pages of messages from a group message that included the two men. This showed that Blankenship tried to talk to Fontentot through text outside of business hours and continued to text, even after being told to stop.
The judge later dismissed the criminal charges ruling that no evidence was produced in the case showed any threat.
“Yes, we had a moment of vindication when the judge granted our judgment of acquittal, but that wasn’t enough,” Scarborough said. “We are here to prevent this from happening to someone else and are here to make Mr. Fontenot whole as to what took place at the direction of the mayor of Ozark.”
In the affidavit sent to the city, they are also suing for false imprisonment, false arrest, negligence, malicious prosecution, and other claims.
Scarborough says the notice was filed on Thursday and they have not heard anything from the city’s attorney.
WDHN has reached out to Mayor Mark Blankenship about the impending lawsuit and he elected not to comment on the matter
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