Court Policy Confuses

By Jeff Jobe, Community Publisher

Asking permission may be more restrictive than asking for forgiveness

Truth is indeed a difficult animal to track. But in this business, you can not come close without getting quantifiable statements from all parties concerned.

Even when you do your best, credibility is best served by sharing sources and always remembering your reputation is on the line in each sentence written.

Most days, I love my work and have a feeling of accomplishment with each printed issue.

However, there are times I, too, would like to just hide inside a cute meme, point a finger, ignore a problem altogether or sugarcoat misrepresented facts with feel-good thoughts. But as the official news source of this community, what we write will be preserved and become a window into our history for future generations. So we strive to get it right.

This week, our community had one of those issues arise. I wish someone else could ask the tough questions, and sometimes I actually hope they will.

But, after several days, it was clear that if I don’t explain what I had found, allowing all concerned to be represented, then it would surely promote mistrust.

Early in the week, it was circulating around town that Judge-Executive Jamie Byrd wouldn’t allow a Charlie Kirk Candlelight Vigil on the courthouse lawn.

I spoke with one of the private citizens involved in the planning and was told they had indeed been refused permission to host the event there.

Something didn’t seem right; this had to be wrong, yet I set out to seek explanations to confirm or discredit this position.

Byrd confirmed she had been contacted by private citizens asking for permission to host a Charlie Kirk Candlelight Vigil on the courthouse property.

She said, “I don’t have the authority to give permission, so I asked Julie Jolly to make sure it would be okay with the AOC.”  Jolly is the Circuit Court Clerk; she, too, is in her first term, as is Byrd.

Byrd said she asked Jolly to seek approval because she had given permission once before and had issues. In this prior occupation resulting in issues, Jolly informed her that Judge John T. Alexander wanted her to remove the “Right to Life” signs, a pro-life view that protects the unborn. Alexander is the Chief Regional Circuit Judge.

Byrd added, “I just didn’t want issues with the court because they were asking for permission I knew I couldn’t give.”

Jolly responded to Byrd in text with regard to the Charlie Kirk vigil, saying, “I spoke with Judge Alexander. He said: “That is not something that can be done on property under the control of the Court of Justice. It is not an apolitical or non-partisan event.”

I confirmed with Alexander this position and asked to clarify how a George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Black Lives Matter event held in June of 2020 could be permitted and not this one?

 

Alexander wrote, “The Court of Justice cannot give permission for its facilities to be used in a political rally. I do not recall anyone asking about having a rally for George Floyd. It may have been an impromptu protest, or it may have been something that was organized, but the Court of Justice did not have previous knowledge of it. In this instance, I was contacted about the process to obtain permission to use the Courthouse grounds for this event, and I said there was no process for so doing because these premises could not be used for political events.”

Alexander agreed the Floyd event would have been deemed, in his mind, a political event as well if asked.

 

Byrd said she informed the individuals asking for permission that, although they couldn’t give permission, if they chose to have the event anyway, law enforcement would not interfere with any peaceful usage.

She also offered the idea of using the steps and sidewalk out front. Indicating she has used this area in the past for farmer and emergency responders recognition events and community pep rallies. She also floated the idea of getting permission from the Veterans Association and the city to use the downtown park, which is ultimately where the Charlie Kirk event was held.

 

Although Alexander and the Court weren’t aware of the June 2020 George Floyd event, the city and Kentucky Transportation Department were because they had time to approve closing the state road in front of the courthouse lawn, and it was utilized as well.

The meeting I had with Sheriff Kent Keen and Glasgow Police Chief Guy Howie was after they met with Alexander, and no discussion occurred regarding moving the event to improve security. It was accepted that the request to have on the courthouse lawn had been denied, and the city was offering to accommodate.

This past weekend, several other Kentucky counties enjoyed Charlie Kirk Candlelight Vigils, including Daviess, Trimble and Franklin, on their courthouse lawns, and more are planned in the weeks ahead.

The Court needs to establish a policy and be consistent to eliminate any hint of political favor for such events ever again in Kentucky.

Fortunately, the man being honored would not want our community to be torn apart because of this, but instead to stand and assure it is done.

This is my attempt to do just that!

Jeff Jobe is the founding partner and owner of Jobe Publishing, Inc.  Jobe Publishing is the fastest growing, single family–owned publishing company in Kentucky, delivering to more paid subscribers than all other combined sources in the region they serve.