HOXIE, Ark. – A hearing has been scheduled in the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed against the City of Hoxie.
A scheduling order signed by Judge Rob Batton set the hearing for 9 AM on March 13, 2024, at Lawrence County Circuit Court in Walnut Ridge.
The lawsuit claims that the city, along with Mayor Dennis Coggins, violated Pickney’s rights under the Arkansas FOIA on three occasions.
Read the complaint: Pickney, D. Complaint 38CV-24-37
The first alleged violation occurred when Mayor Dennis Coggins prevented Pickney, a current Hoxie city councilmember, from entering Hoxie City Hall. Following this incident, Pickney requested a copy of the surveillance footage through a FOIA request, only to be informed by City Attorney Nancy Hall that he would be charged for accessing the video.
Subsequently, Hall filed a complaint against Pickney, claiming that his FOIA request constituted a contract with the city. Pickney’s lawsuit contends that the city unlawfully charged him for retrieving public records, a practice deemed improper by the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Additionally, Pickney alleges that the city refused to produce documents in response to two more FOIA requests. Despite Pickney’s inquiries, the release states City Attorney Hall said that no further requests would be honored until Pickney paid for retrieving the video footage.
In February, Pickney submitted a third FOIA request seeking video footage of a city council meeting. During this meeting, Mayor Coggins reportedly instructed him to remain quiet and even threatened to him removed from the meeting if he continued asking questions. The city failed to provide the requested footage, further violating FOIA regulations.
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