- WTXL has been tracking this story for the past five months, and now I'm making sure neighbors understand the latest development.
- On April 4 the South Georgia circuit district attorney Joe Mulholland filed a brief to the Georgia court of appeals.
- Watch the story to hear why the D.A. has filed a appeal.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Neighbor's are still asking how we got here– when it comes to a highly disputed primate breeding farm's attempt to set up shop here in Bainbridge.
WTXL has been tracking this story for the past five months and now I'm making sure neighbors understand the latest development.
Back in February we reported on how a handful of neighbors filed a legal complaint against city and county officials highlighting the fact that a violation to the open meetings act took place.
We are now learning from residents who filed the legal complaint that Safer Human Medicine has allegedly asked to be heard in that case by arguing that the bond validation is conclusive and trumps every aspect of the resident's case.
This comes on the heels of other legal battles.
On April 4 the South Georgia circuit district attorney Joe Mulholland filed a brief to the Georgia court of appeals.
"So I found out about the irregularities in the validation process so I went ahead and filed my appeal,” according to Joe Mulholland the South Georgia circuit D.A.
The legal motion aims to reverse the previous submission of a revenue bond which would allow primate research company Safer Human Medicine to build a facility in Bainbridge.
"As far as open meetings violations.. Not having the proper format of the actual bond validation.” said Mulholland. “All the way to not even giving myself or the court the entire bond paper work that was submitted to the court.
In January neighbors came together to oppose the project by attending city and county meetings to express concerns for a lack of transparency.
We talked to a local homeowner who shared his thoughts about how the controversial project has impacted the community.
"It's brought a lot of us together. It's brought me into some people that I didn't know and created a lot of friendships,” Bainbridge resident Johnny Reynolds.
But on the other hand…
"It's also created some hardship.. I have kin folks that's on the other side of this thing,” said Reynolds.
A spokesperson for Safer Human Medicine emailed a statement stating: "We are confident in our legal standing and plan to proceed with the site in Bainbridge."
But, neighbors like Reynolds said he has high hopes that the primate deal will not come to bainbridge.
"I don't foresee it coming in the next three years anyway. By then, primate research is going to be down,” said Reynolds.
The D.A expects a decision for the appeal by the end of May.
Those involved in the citizen lawsuit will be back in court July 16.
