High court shuts mayor's mouth on billboards
by Mara ShalhoupOn July 11,the state Supreme Court ruled Wood had no right to write the letters. The 4-3 decision ends the fracas between Wood and billboard company Eller Media, whose owners claim Wood interfered with their business.
Wood allegedly threatened one local advertiser, writing that he would rethink the city's contract with the company unless it gave up its billboard.
"What I said was I might want to rebid that job," Wood claims. "I think a threat is when you say, 'I'm going to shoot you.'"
He says the court's ruling shows a "lack of understanding of what freedom of expression is all about."
Justice Carol W. Hunstein, writing for the majority, didn't buy the free speech thing: "There is no constitutional protection for the Mayor's acts ... or for his use of explicit and implicit threats."
The three dissenting justices were more forgiving, citing "a constitutional right to express ... views to advertisers."
Wood says he won't put down the pen. "There are plenty of other things I can write letters about," he says. "They can only quiet me about billboards."
We also recommend ...
Latest in News Briefs
-
School of Americas Watch Concert
-
Atlanta’s 2007 crime wave 3
-
The 2009 mayoral race may get jolt of celebrity 10
Could Clark Howard be the next Atlanta mayor?
- More »
-
Exploring Atlanta's modern ruins 27
A new subculture finds beauty in decay
-
What app would you develop?
-
The future of Pullman Yard 8
Redeveloping Kirkwood's 26-acre former industrial hub could transform the neighborhood. But first, someone has to buy it.
