Spring Valley mayor jailed for contempt of court SPRING VALLEY Mayor Demeza Delhomme was in the county jail Friday night after his arrest for being in contempt of a court order that he open the villages civic center to host its summer camp. Village Attorney Jerrold Miles said he was stunned by the ruling from state Supreme Court Justice Gerald Loehr, who determined Delhomme violated his order to give the villages summer camp access to the Louis Kurtz Civic Center on North Main Street. Miles said he was scrambling to get the mayor out of the Rockland County Jail in New City. We may look at the appellate procedure. Were looking into that right now, Miles said late Friday afternoon. I was stunned that the judge would make the decision to put a political official in jail based on whether or not a key was provided for an office. As of 6 p.m. Friday, the Rockland County Jail confirmed Delhomme was being held there. Dennis Lynch, an attorney representing Village Trustees Vilair Fonvil, Asher Grossman and Emilia White who filed complaints against Delhomme, said justice had prevailed. The mayor of Spring Valley has learned a lesson of the law the hard way, Lynch said. In court on Thursday, Loehr once again ordered Delhomme to honor the July 2 village board resolution, giving the summer camp access to the civic center,where the program had been held for 14 years. At one point in the hearing, Delhomme told Loehr that state municipal law says the mayor runs the village, and trustees can only observe. Loehr told Delhomme he should rely on his attorneys interpretation of the state law. The judge warned Delhomme that if he didnt comply with his order, he would face immediate arrest and imprisonment. At 9 a.m. Friday, Fonvil and former Village Clerk Sherry Scott went to the civic center to prepare for the camp. Several parents also came to register their children for the free program, they said. As of Friday morning, about 20 children signed up, Scott said. Lamiche Powell, who was at the center Friday, said she registered her children — 6 and 8 — for the village camp so she doesnt have to take them to day camp in Congers.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 00:24:28 +0000
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