NATCHEZ—Sixth District Circuit Court Judge Carmen Drake late Tuesday afternoon denied a motion filed on behalf of the City of Natchez to stay—or put a temporary hold on—her decision involving the Truth Lounge, freeing any barrier to the nightclub’s being granted a privilege license to operate.
An attorney for the City of Natchez filed a motion Monday afternoon seeking an automatic stay on Drake’s Friday ruling in favor of the Truth Lounge owners and requesting an emergency hearing.
L. Clark Hicks of Hicks Law Firm in Hattiesburg is representing the city on the matter.
On Friday, Drake ruled in favor of Truth Lounge owners Rickey Banks and David Haywood in their appeal of a June decision by the Natchez Board of Aldermen that effectively closed their nightclub, Truth Lounge, located at 719-½ Franklin St.
The Truth Lounge was forced to close in June 2024 after the Natchez Planning Commission voted 4 to 3 to revoke the special exception to operate it granted the nightclub on March 16, 2023.
After opening in 2023, neighbors of Truth Lounge routinely complained of loud noise and unruly crowds gathering outside the club, partying and littering nearby parking lots.
On April 25, 2024, the planning commission, in a 4 to 3 vote, moved to revoke the special exception granted to the Truth Lounge.
Banks and Haywood appealed that decision to the Board of Aldermen, who voted 3 to 2 on June 18, 2024, to leave the planning commission’s decision in place.
On June 28, 2024, Banks and Haywood appealed the Board of Aldermen’s decision to the Sixth District Circuit Court.
Also, Monday, Terris C. Harris of The Cochran Firm in Jackson filed a motion opposing the city’s request for a stay with the court and sought clarification on Drake’s decision.
That clarification was sought because Banks and Haywood said they were twice denied a license to operate their business, once on Friday and again on Monday morning.
Drake issued an amended decision on Monday afternoon: “The decision of the Board of Aldermen to ratify the Planning Commission’s revocation of the Truth Lounge special
exception is hereby reversed and rendered. Further, the decision of the Planning Commission to revoke the Plaintiffs’ special exception was issued without legal authority and is therefore void
and has no legal effect.”
Drake said the argument city attorneys used did not apply to her decision as an appeals judge in the case.
Rickey Banks said he was issued the new business privilege license just before 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
The post Judge denies city’s request for stay of Truth Lounge decision; owners issued business license appeared first on Mississippi’s Best Community Newspaper.
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