Blake Horwitz
Stating that Sheriff’s Department defendants in Zane Seipler’s wrongful termination case have not provided “legitimate discovery responses” and have “twice violated this Court’s protective order,” Seipler attorney Blake Horwitz asked Federal Magistrate P. Michael Mahoney in Rockford that,
“This improper conduct before this Federal Court…cease.”
The pleading points out that defendants in deposition have denied that racial profiling has occurred in the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department, but now “defendants are investigating fifty-one deputies for racial profiling and have admitted that they failed to tender data covering 5,000 traffic stops covering a two year period.”
A footnote says that the internal probe began January 14, 2011.
The motion points out that Horwitz has spent over 150 hours looking at ”faulty” data provided by the Sheriff’s Department over a year ago, but now defendants refuse to reproduce defendants for depositions on the newly-released data.
“Perhaps defendants though they could get away with non-disclosure of the vital information; however this scheme unfolded when plaintiff requested the source data from which the racial profiling date was originally ascertained,” Horwitz continues.
“The new data reveals 5,000 arrests never before tendered—clearly indicating that the initial disclosures were a sham.”
A footnote says that Horwitz is not blaming opposing attorney James Sotos, “but believes counsel’s client in fact has intended this result.”
For not releasing all the data in a timely fashion, Horwitz seeks to have the Sheriff’s Department “pay reasonable expenses.”
Two instances of violating the Court’s protective order are listed:
- “the release of police records concerning the plaintiff”
- “the deposition of Deputy Millman was released to a local McHenry County newspaper, the Northwest Herald.”
The description of the more recent alleged violation follows:
“In the article, the newspaper editor went into extreme detail as to the allegations of Deputy Milliman, ultimately ridiculing him and comparing him to a character on Sesame Street who generates delusional accusations.”
The motion “requests that his Court enter an Order for a Rule to Show Cause requesting why defendants should not be held in contempt for their repeat failure to comply with this Court’s Protective Order…(and) order sanctions against defendants…”
Typical behavior for SO under Nygren. This man does nothing but cost us money and it won’t stop. Does he care – he lives well on our dime. As long as he has been in office, the bad behavior goes on and we pay for his free defense and we pay out for the settlements.
I hope all those that voted for him are waking up, finallly
Because Seipler makes an accusation we are suppose to believe it to be true, Vastare? I believe the young women who he signed a document stating she was speeding from the passenger seat would tend to disagree.
His tantrum has cost Taxpayers dearly. Yet his only complaint seems to be other officers checked of the box that said “white” to people he believes should have been labeled “hispanic”. The reality is most of those we tend to classify ethnicaly as “hispanic” if given a choice self identify as “white” on race according to U.S. census data. Ethnicity and race are distinctly different and ones ethnic origin does not necessarily clasify them cleanly by race. I happen to work with two great friends who are ethnicaly Puerto Ricans and have differing skin tones. You may want to classify them as “hispanic” however one of them self identifies as black and one of them self identifies as white. I don’t think either of them is “lying” or falsifying their “race”
Yet even with all these accusations of wrong box checking there is no evidence that anyone falsely signed a document stating that they witnessed somone violate a law that they did not, except for the one pointing the finger at everyone else.
But – Someday you are going to find out the real “truth” about the ticket. Sure you already know but need some bull to keep throwing out there.
Nygren should read the story about the “Emporer’s New Clothes.
Zane would not be doing this if things were done properly and he was not fired for exposing the truth. All they had to do was handle the problems properly.
Zane only one of the 40some that are suing. Nygren has caused many,many to sue and win. Will you post how much we have paid out in settlements and keep it updated?? I doubt it. NYGREN AND HIS JERKS ARE THE REASON FOR ALL THE MONEY FLOWING OUT.
Sounds to me like you are the one who is having a tantrum.
I for one, am an angry taxpayer and have seen Nygren costing too much money for too long. Before Zane ever lived here.
OK, Vastare. I will bite, what is the “real truth” involving the document he signed stating that the young woman who was the passenger in the car was “speeding”?
Every court and arbitrator that has heard the testimony seems to agree that what the guy did was wrong and deserved some level of discipline.
I happen to be of the belief that the action is one severe enough that he should be kept out of law enforcement, others seem to believe he only should have only been suspended for some length of time.
The argument that he should have avoided any punishment for his actions because some other officers he did not like were checking a “wrong” box while doing what they should and actually issuing tickets to unlicensed drivers, just does not make me feel any sympathy for him.
You will find out.
None of this flame throwing will prevent knowledge of what the SO and Nygren have done.
Even if this “ticket” crap was accurate, it is a drop of water compared to the 5 alarm fire that Nygren created.
Your comments (one of the reasons I even got into commenting) only tell me you are one of Nygren’s “inside” people.
Vastare,
I have never met Nygren and have never worked for the Sheriff’s department, I am simply an active commenter with opinions based on the known facts.
All your talk about the “real truth” and “you will find out” just comes of as smoke and mirrors and a claim of inside knowledge. I have no inside knowledge. I am sincerely asking if there is another story about the guy signing a document stating that a young woman was speeding when she was actually just a passenger in the car he pulled over, PLEASE, let us all know.
There has been no definitive statement to anything other than the guy did something wrong. The only disagreement seems to be the level of punishment and whether or not other deputies also did things wrong.
See I am of the belief that any officer who falsely signed a document that they witnessed a citizen commit a crime, that they did not, should be not only fired but also prosecuted. If it comes out that Nygren or any other officer is found to have done the same thing then they should also be fired and even prosecuted if possible.
But – reading your comments on other blogs, I really do not believe the “I am just a concerned citizen” facade. You are a Nygren guy one way or another. Knowledge is out their. Go to Fed Court, read transcripts before you open your mouth.
Vastare, I take it that is simply your way of saying you don’t really have anything other than vague innuendo that can change the fact that this guy signed a document stating that the passenger of the car he pulled over was speeding?
As for whether you believe that I am a concerened citizen or not, it does not really matter to as I know you are factually wrong. Additionally, whomever you want to pretend I am does not change the known facts one bit.
I heard for months that I just had to wait for the FBI investigation to come crashing down and now the FBI has gone to a seemingly unprecented level of saying the conspiracy theories were investigated and have no merit.
The tricky bit in debating the current anti-sheriff’s department conspiracy crowd is that while I am debating know facts you guys are always debating some conspiracy we all would understand if we “just knew all the facts”. Well enlighten us with some.
But – it will all be revealed eventually. Giving you a head’s up. If there is a chance that you do not have all the correct info, it is wise to wait.
A lot has been released in court yet you keep yammering.
Sit back, relax and you will learn (if you choose to hear).
If there was a chance that I was not in the loop with all of the info I would not be so vocal as you have been.
The court transcripts are very enlightening.
I can only guess you have not seen them.
NWH has not been forthcoming.
As their reporter stated “we rely on previous articles for information” so, if an article is not correct they just keep printing incorrect info. A lot of creative editing, as well.
If you cannot connect dots, it is not my problem.
Vastare, I have read the court transcripts. Really not much there as far as fact in your guys side to this point. You don’t seem to be getting it though. Let me be very clear for you.
I believe ANY officer who signed a document stating that they were witness to a citizen committing a crime that they did not commit should be fired and prosecuted.
If you show me that your guy did not do this then I may change my mind about him. If you show me facts that another officer did this I will also call for the same for them. It does not matter to me who they are.
How many of them have you read?
You will find out more about the “ticket ” in due time.
She deserved the ticket!!
Read First Electric Newspaper and click on the motion link located on the bottom.
Find out how “honest” your friend Nygren is. Much more to come there, as well.
ButQueriously, the sheriff’s dept. is investigating 51 of its own deputies for racial profiling right now.
Nygren said three years ago that there was no problem and Zane was wrong.
I guess after coming back from Florida and looking at the data he thought maybe there is a problem.
As far as Zane signing a warning ticket for speeding, that’s not a legal document and they are thrown away.
He might as well have written the warning on a napkin.
If there was perjury he would have been charged, and he wasn’t.
The fact that the sheriff is invetigating proves Zane was right.
Oh…I’m so glad I peaked in on this tonite..these are classic…sure she was only the passenger of a car he pulled over but “She deserved the ticket” for speeding? You guys have to be kidding this time? You are rolling with the “she asked for it” defense?
Didn’t both the court and the arbitrator find that what Zane did was wrong? Is his bunch now disagreeing with the rulings they have been bragging about?
As for the “not a legal document” silliness…I don’t care who you are that is funny.