City of Abbeville Attorney Moves Abbeville Police Chief Case To United States Federal Court

Rickey Stokes

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Date: Jul 22 2019 6:42 PM

ABBEVILLE: After a 100 day suspension in June 2019, Abbeville's sitting Police Chief Noel Vanlandingham filed a civil lawsuit against the Abbeville Mayor, Sitting Council Members, and the City of Abbeville. Now attorneys representing the Mayor, Council and City of Abbeville has moved the case from Circuit Court of the 20th Judicial Circuit into United States Federal Court, Middle District of Alabama.

Pending motions to appeal have been filed by the attorney for Abbeville Mayor, Abbeville Town Council and City of Abbeville.

The Federal Court has given Vanlandingham's Attorney until September 3, 2019 to respond.

HISTORY OF ABBEVILLE POLICE CHIEF AND HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY

Noel Vanlandingham law enforcement career started as a Henry County Sheriff Deputy under Retired Henry County Sheriff Lawton Ed Armstrong.

Then Vanlandingham left the Henry County Sheriff Department and went to work with the Abbeville Police Department. He went from patrolman to Sergeant.

When Abbeville Police Chief Mickey Shelley went to retire as Police Chief he promoted Vanlandingham to the rank of Lieutenant.

The Abbeville City Council hired Abbeville Police Captain Mike Jones as Police Chief. It was about four years that Jones served as Abbeville Police Chief with Vanlandingham being Jones right hand man.

Jones retires as Police Chief. Vanlandingham applies for Police Chief as does Dale County Sheriff Captain Marlos Walker.

On December 13, 2013, in a split 4 to 2 vote, the Abbeville City Council hires Marlos Walker as Police Chief. Walker starts in January 2014 as Police Chief.

VANLANDINGHAM HIRED BY HENRY COUNTY SHERIFF WILL MADDOX

After Marlos Walker assumed the duties of Abbeville Police Chief in January 2014. It was not long after Walker started that 13 year Abbeville Police Officer Lt. Noel Vanlandingham spoke with Henry County Sheriff Will Maddox about a job.

Sheriff Maddox hired Vanlandingham as a deputy and he left the Abbeville Police Department.

WALKER GETS OZARK POLICE CHIEF JOB

Ozark Police Chief Tony Spivey retired. Walker and now Colonel Charles Ward of the ALEA - Troopers applied for Ozark Police Chief. Ward was going to retire as a ALEA - State Trooper at the rank of Captain and serve as Ozark Police Chief for some $ 23,000.00 per year. ( All a retired state employee can make. )

The Ozark City Council hired Marlos Walker as Police Chief. Captain Charles Ward withdrew his retirement and that left the job of Abbeville Police Chief vacant.

NOTE: You never know when a door closes what door will open. Captain Charles Ward, from Ozark Alabama, wanted the Ozark Police Chief job when he retired. But he was not hired. Ward was not ready to leave law enforcement so he withdrew his retirement. Then he was quickly promoted from Captain to Major of ALEA - Troopers. And not long after he was promoted to the rank of Colonel, over the entire State of Alabama ALEA - State Troopers.

VANLANDINGHAM SELECTION AS ABBEVILLE POLICE CHIEF

On July 6, 2016 the Abbeville City Council voted twice in the same meeting attempting to select the next Abbeville Police Chief. Both votes that night died because they were 3 to 3 votes.

On July 21, 2015, with Henry County Sheriff Will Maddox present and in full support of Noel Vanlandingham becoming Abbeville Police Chief, and members of the Henry County Sheriff Department showing up in force in support of Noel Vanlandingham becoming Abbeville Police Chief, the Abbeville City Council in a 4 to 2 vote hired Vanlandingham as Police Chief.

Vanlandingham takes over as Abbeville Police Chief and all seems to be going well. That is from 2015 until 2018.

CHIEF VANLANDINGHAM AND SHERIFF MADDOX GET SIDEWAYS

Abbeville and Headland, they are two separate and distinct countries. The north and south just do not like each other.

The Henry County Republican Party is controlled in Headland and the Democrats rule in Abbeville. Except for the richest man in Alabama, Jimmy Rane's.

The Headland Republican's refused to allow Will Maddox to seek re-election as Henry County Sheriff as a Republican. That is because Maddox is accused of getting someone strong in the Republican Party defeated as a Henry County Commissioner.

Maddox is forced to seek re-election as a Democrat for Sheriff. That brings out a former Deputy Sheriff now Henry County Commissioner, Jay Calhoun and 20th Judicial Circuit Investigator Jay Henry as Republican's for Sheriff.

In the Republican primary Jay Henry defeats Jay Calhoun to become the Republican Nominee for Henry County Sheriff. Incumbent Sheriff Will Maddox had no primary opposition and faced 20th Judicial Circuit District Attorney investigator Jay Henry for Sheriff.

Abbeville Police Chief Noel Vanlandingham and Headland Police Chief Mark Jones both hitched their horses to Jay Henry. Jones was not as vocal as Vanlandingham.

The race was heated and perhaps the most dirty race I have ever seen on the Republican side. Some things done to innocent people was and is awful. Chief Vanlandingham was louder and Chief Jones was not as loud in the race. Not saying Vanlandingham and Jones were in the dirty part, but it was dirty and nasty. People abused their powers of their office. ( Not Maddox ).

The registered voters of Henry County overwhelmingly vote for Will Maddox as Sheriff.

HENRY COUNTY DEPUTY MAKES ARREST AND SUSPECT(S) VIDEO

A Henry County Sheriff Deputy makes a traffic stop. He orders the passenger from the vehicle. The subject refuses to exit the vehicle and the Deputy removes the person from the vehicle. A lot of debate on if the Deputy did or did not have the legal authority to remove the passenger.

Some lady interviewed Abbeville Police Chief Noel Vanlandingham on camera and posted it. Vanlandingham was stating what he felt and was critical of the Henry County Sheriff Department.

Things continue that it appears Chief Vanlandingham was going to be a problem child as long as Will Maddox was Sheriff. But in a small county such behavior and problems will not last long.

ABBEVILLE CITY COUNCIL

On May 13, 2019 Abbeville Mayor Billy Helms meets with Chief Vanlandingham in the Mayor's Office. The City of Abbeville, they can all describe how they want, but bottom line was tired of the crap.

Mayor Helms tells Chief Vanlandingham there is a complaint against him.

May 15, 2019 Abbeville Mayor Helms gives a letter to Chief Vanlandingham concerning the complaints.

May 20, 2019 Abeville City Council goes into an Executive Session and returns. Mayor Helms recommends termination of Vanlandingham as Police Chief. That recommendation is denied but the council does vote to suspend Chief Vanlandingham for 10 days without pay for Insubordination. Vanlandingham was issued a directive that he get along with Henry County Sheriff Will Maddox.

May 21, 2019 attorneys for Abbeville Police Chief Noel Vanlandingham sends a letter to the City of Abbeville that they have not followed due process in the termination of Vanlandingham.

May 23, 2019 a disciplinary hearing for Vanlandingham was held before the Abbeville City Council. The suspension was upheld and to begin on June 3, 2019.

June 14, 2019 Attorney Dustin Fowler and Stephen Etheredge, representing Chief Noel Vanlandingham, file a lawsuit against Abbeville Mayor Billy Helms, Council Members Terry Allums, Brendt Murphy, Dorthy Baker, Rena Cosby, Harold Robinson and the City of Abbeville, a Municipal Corporation.

July 15, 2019 Attorney James Pike, representing the City of Abbeville, Mayor and Council removes the Circuit Court case to United States Federal Court, Middle District of Alabama. So there is no longer a case in state court but in Federal Court.

The same date James Pike files a motion to dismiss the case of Abbeville Police Chief Noel Vanlandingham. The case is assigned to United States Federal Court Judge Emily Marks.

Judge Marks gives attorneys for Chief Vanlandingham until September 3, 2019 to file a response to the motion filed by James Pike, Attorney for Abbeville.

That is the best I know to report how Abbeville has gotten to where it is today in the case of Abbeville Police Chief Noel Vanlandingham.

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