- Georgia Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal challenging the revenue bond for Safer Human Medicine (SHM), allowing the company to move forward with construction plans in Decatur County.
- Protestors and local residents continue to oppose the facility, citing ongoing lawsuits and concerns about misinformation regarding SHM’s legal clearance.
- SHM claims the path is clear to begin construction. Watch the story to hear why the opposing side says there's still a pause on the project.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The question on many minds in Bainbridge: Is primate company Safer Human Medicine (SHM) still planning to come to town?
Tensions are rising once again after a Georgia Supreme Court decision that could help pave the way for SHM to build a controversial primate research facility in Decatur County.
On Friday, protestors with the "No Monkey Breeding in Georgia" group gathered outside City Hall on Broad Street, voicing their concerns just days after the state’s highest court declined to hear an appeal that could have blocked construction.
“This is the moment to be seen,” said protest organizer Vyena Merritt. “We need to get out and be visible right now.”
The denied appeal came from South Georgia Judicial Circuit District Attorney Joe Mulholland, who had challenged the validation of a revenue bond that would fund the construction of the SHM facility. With the court’s refusal to take up the case, that bond remains intact—meaning SHM legally retains the right to develop the land in question under the original agreement with Decatur County.
But not everyone agrees the road is clear for construction.
June Faircloth, one of several residents involved in ongoing lawsuits against local leaders, released a public statement pushing back against what she calls “misinformation.”
“There has been a flurry of misinformation and lies being spread from a recent press release implying that SHM has clearance to move forward in building! Remember that there are lawsuits still in place that prevent that!” Faircloth stated.
SHM CEO Jim Harkess offered a different take, releasing a statement shortly after the court’s decision:
“With the Supreme Court's denial of this challenge, we can begin preparing for construction on our state-of-the-art facility that will advance American medical research and provide good-paying jobs.”Despite the company's optimism, Merritt and others remain resolute in their opposition.
“It’s not over,” Merritt said. “It seems like it. It feels like it. But it’s not. There’s so much more to be done, and there’s so much more that can be stopped.”
With two conflicting narratives emerging—one of green lights and progress, the other of lawsuits and resistance—the future of SHM in Bainbridge remains uncertain.
I’ll be sitting down with SHM leadership next week to learn more about how the company plans to move forward amid ongoing legal challenges.
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