Man Accused of Bootlegging Allowed to Keep Little Rock Home
By: Josh Berry
Updated: September 23, 2012
A Little Rock homeowner is thankful he still has a place to live after the city threatened to take his house away from him for running a bootlegging operation.
It was part of an overall effort Mayor Mark Stodola said is to get rid of nuisance properties.
A court hearing on this case was scheduled for Monday (9/23). A promise to clean up his act and an agreement between Little Rock city attorneys and the defendants that the home had in-fact been a nuisance however, allowed Lessie Smith, who's in his 80s, to keep his home.
"They told me I can use it just can't have nothing in here, cause they'll make me lose my property for nothing," said Smith.
Once a location accused of bootlegging, selling alcohol on Sundays and formerly called a "speak-easy" by the City of Little Rock, Lessie Smith still has his home. Under certain conditions though.
"... I don't let anybody on my premises before I mess around and lose it."
In an agreed order between the city and defendants, $2,000 will be awarded to the city and Smith has to keep the home from being a nuisance.
Smith however said the focus now should be on other criminal activity in the area besides his property.
"There are some more people they should be focusing on that have done way worse than me."
Even bar owners, those who sell alcohol legally, even on Sundays said however, the city should be focusing on places like Smith's home.
Flying D's Bar and Grill Owner, Wally Waller said, "I think they've [the city] got every right on Sunday to say hey, only these people that have met a criteria... can sell on Sunday's."
Moving forward though, Smith said he is done with his former trade, and while he may know other crimes take place right around him, he's staying out of it and staying straight.
"Yeah I see it, but I'm not going to do that," Smith said. "I'm not going to tell on them like they call on me."
The city will continue to monitor compliance from Smith, if they determine he hasn't been following the rules, they can still request another hearing.
It was part of an overall effort Mayor Mark Stodola said is to get rid of nuisance properties.
A court hearing on this case was scheduled for Monday (9/23). A promise to clean up his act and an agreement between Little Rock city attorneys and the defendants that the home had in-fact been a nuisance however, allowed Lessie Smith, who's in his 80s, to keep his home.
"They told me I can use it just can't have nothing in here, cause they'll make me lose my property for nothing," said Smith.
Once a location accused of bootlegging, selling alcohol on Sundays and formerly called a "speak-easy" by the City of Little Rock, Lessie Smith still has his home. Under certain conditions though.
"... I don't let anybody on my premises before I mess around and lose it."
In an agreed order between the city and defendants, $2,000 will be awarded to the city and Smith has to keep the home from being a nuisance.
Smith however said the focus now should be on other criminal activity in the area besides his property.
"There are some more people they should be focusing on that have done way worse than me."
Even bar owners, those who sell alcohol legally, even on Sundays said however, the city should be focusing on places like Smith's home.
Flying D's Bar and Grill Owner, Wally Waller said, "I think they've [the city] got every right on Sunday to say hey, only these people that have met a criteria... can sell on Sunday's."
Moving forward though, Smith said he is done with his former trade, and while he may know other crimes take place right around him, he's staying out of it and staying straight.
"Yeah I see it, but I'm not going to do that," Smith said. "I'm not going to tell on them like they call on me."
The city will continue to monitor compliance from Smith, if they determine he hasn't been following the rules, they can still request another hearing.
