Oakland official loses restraining order case against activist

A decide of the Alameda County Supreme Court docket has denied the request of a excessive -ranking metropolis officer of Oakland for a restrictive order in opposition to a political activist.

On Thursday, Decide Maria Morga dominated that Assistant Metropolis Supervisor Harold Duffey didn’t meet the requirements for proving that he wants a limiting order of civilian intimidation in opposition to Seneca Scott.

Throughout the listening to, Morga stated that though she understood Duffey’s want to defend his popularity, she noticed no proof that Scott had threatened or bodily harmed him.

Duffey, who utilized for a avenue ban on the finish of June, accused Scott of putting movies that falsely declare that he has taken bribes from a contractor and acquired immunity from federal researchers in trade for his testimony for a big jury. Duffey informed the decide that he’s in the course of making use of for jobs and the movies of Scott have a damaging affect on his capability to be assumed.

Duffey is likely one of the highest officers in Oakland, the second just for the town supervisor. Scott is an activist who helped in organizing the profitable recall marketing campaign in opposition to former mayor Sheng Thao.

Scott stated in the course of the listening to that his first modification on free speech is being protected. Scott requested the decide if there have been cures for individuals who have been harassed by political figures.

In current months, the previous metropolis worker Brandon Harami additionally tried to ensure a avenue ban in opposition to Scott, identical to Oakland proprietor Sean Sullivan. Each requests have been additionally refused.

“This was not a authorized dispute. It was an try to criminalize the speech, to arm the courts in opposition to deviating opinion and whistleblowers who expose corruption,” Scott stated in an announcement that was mailed to the oaklandside after the listening to. He added that he’s planning “a lawsuit within the first modification” in opposition to the town, Duffey, Harami and different officers.

Throughout the listening to, Morga informed Duffey that if he believed that Scott would have accused him, he might pursue different civil cures, reminiscent of a defamation.

“I’ll comply with a slander on Seneca Scott and the individuals who gave him the knowledge he makes use of – people and / or corporations who gave him that materials,” Duffey informed the Oaklandside after the listening to.

Duffey didn’t reply to who the opposite events have been that he believed he was bothered.

In June, Scott revealed three movies on his YouTube channel “Gotham Oakland” that targeted on Duffey. Within the movies, Scott Duffey accused of taking a bribery of $ 250,000 from a safety service firm and receiving federal immunity in analysis into former mayor Sheng Thao, her buddy Andre Jones and David and Andy Duong of California Waste Options.

In an announcement that Duffey submitted to the court docket earlier this week, he wrote that the assertion he took “was” incorrect “and” I by no means acquired such funds or corruption. ” He added that the declare that he acquired immunity in trade for his testimony earlier than the big jury is wrong. “I’ve by no means been supplied or acquired federal immunity.”

“These statements are false, malignant and don’t serve a authentic objective,” Duffey wrote in his assertion. “They’re solely meant to wreck my popularity, profession and private properly -being.”

Federal prosecutors haven’t accused Duffey of misconduct of their anti-corruption case that was introduced earlier this yr.

When requested about these claims after the listening to, Duffey repeated that the accusations in Scott’s movies “have been by no means true. The accusation that I beat individuals is by no means true. I informed the reality about issues when questions have been requested by the FBI and the American lawyer.