Whiteville City Council has a short agenda for Tuesday, and among the items on the schedule is a closed session over a lawsuit against the city.
Jason Nicholson, a former employee of the Dept. of Corrections, is suing the city for violating his first amendment rights after he was detained during an incident on June 11, 2024. Nicholson’s complaint said that he was unlawfully removed from a public area on the prison grounds at Columbus Correctional. He had gone to the prison to obtain a signature on a legal document, the complaint, and did not at any time enter the restricted area of the prison.
Nicholson states that a Corrections Officer contacted Whiteville Police to have him removed. WPD was under contract with the town of Brunswick at that time. The sheriff’s office now provides patrol coverage to the prison, which is located in the town limits.
The plaintiff’s complaint said Nicholson was placed in handcuffs and threatened with arrest. He was not charged with any crime, according to court documents. The complaint also says that Nicholson was in the area identified by the DOC as a location where “individuals could lawfully observe, photograph, and record correctional facilities from public property.”
“The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the rights of individuals to engage in free speech, gather information, observe and record matters of public concern, and petition the government for redress of grievances,” the complaint says. “At all relevant times, Plaintiff was engaged in activity protected by the First Amendment while lawfully present in an area open and accessible to the public.”
He is asking for punitive and compensatory damages in the case.
Before the closed session, the board will receive an update on the city’s ongoing reorganization plan.
The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the city council chambers on Madison Street. The meeting may also be viewed online. See the link in the “where to watch” box elsewhere on the CCN front page.
