County battles church concerts
In light of a drug sweep at the Church of Universal Love and Music, an attorney for Fayette County has asked a federal judge to force the church’s founder to repay a $75,000 settlement and to preclude them from having any other concerts. The motion, filed early Wednesday, indicated that Willie Pritts, who founded the church that bases its worship in music, knew or should have known that there were illegal activities going on. On Saturday, members of the county’s drug task force and state police came onto the grounds of the Bullskin Township church with a search warrant that covered its 42 acres and all of the people there for a concert.
Police arrested 23 people – some of whom were vendors at the show – on various drug and paraphernalia charges. They seized pounds of marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms, LSD, smoking pipes and food that was being sold that the authorities believe was laced with drugs.
Pritts sued the county in 2006, claiming that officials stifled his religious freedoms when he was denied zoning. Earlier this year, the case was set to go to trial in federal court, but the sides reached a last-minute settlement that permitted Pritts to hold six weekend and six Saturday-only events a year.
There were several conditions levied, including the prohibition of drug use and underage drinking.
There also was a provision that the county could enforce zoning violations if Pritts violated the conditions, but had to do so in good faith. In other words, the agreement stopped the county from unfairly targeting Pritts.
And while his attorney, Gregory Koerner, has said that is exactly what happened, county attorney Marie M. Jones indicated in the filing that the task force investigated the church concerts “without the knowledge of (the county).”
With concerts scheduled for the next three Saturdays, and a three-day event called the Boykin Ball in early September, Jones asked Chief U.S. District Judge Donetta Ambrose to issue a temporary injunction.
Jones asked that the injunction be in place until the criminal charges are resolved. Beyond that, she indicated her intent to seek a permanent injunction that would bar Pritts from having any additional concerts on the property.
“Despite being given the opportunity for events to be held on the plaintiffs’ property, after much litigation, the plaintiffs have now blatantly violated a negotiated agreement in addition to permitting illegal activity on their property,” Jones wrote.
Ambrose has yet to make a ruling on the request.