Letter: Watson Trying to Delay Justice in Controversial Dog Case

Editor's Note: This letter was sent to Easley City Council member Dave Watson following Watson's request for a change of venue in an ongoing dispute over a dog. The magistrate's court date had been set for 11 a.m. October 23.

Dear Mr. Watson:

Greetings, salutations, and all that good stuff. I see at the 11th hour you have requested a change in venue for what would have been court today due to your new lawyer having another case.

Let me add — yet another law was broken: The change of venue statute, § 22-3-920, provides the means by which either party in a civil action, believing for a substantial reason that he would be unable to secure a fair trial from the magistrate before whom the matter is to be heard, may have his case moved to another magistrate nearby, but within the same County. Currently, no authority exists to transfer a civil case to another County.

This section requires that the party seeking the change of venue give the opposing party two days notice of his intention to apply for change, except where the moving party can show that facts to warrant the change were discovered too late to permit such notice. 

Two days notice was NOT given.

How the magistrate that had this case didn't know that and adhere to this, I don't know? Amazes me actually. 

You want to take many Facebook comments and try to plea the victim. 1. No comments have anything to do with ownership of Lucy. That is what this court appearance is about. To prove ownership (which, BTW, you HAVE previously stated that she DID belong to the Blantons). 2. WE are not painting you as the villian. Through your own actions, you have portrayed yourself as such.

I said this at the council meeting and I will say this again now:  You are hanging your own self, not us.

If you do not like all these comments, then again, do the right thing and give Lucy back to the Blantons.  

In that 17 page affidavit you plan to submit, you should also include where all members of the council that you sit on (to include the Mayor) have publically stated you should give Lucy back.

This was in fact said that the council meeting. You should also include that almost everyone who hears this story (and not even knowing you sit on city council) has stated you should give Lucy back.

There are in fact hundreds and hundreds of comments from many people not even in Easley and not even in the state of South Carolina that say what you are doing is wrong - morally and ethically.  

And please in that 17 page affidavit include that you have been charged with a misdemeanor for not following the law concerning all of this.

I am not sure as to which law exactly, but throw that in there while you are at it.  It APPEARS as though this is really just a delay tactic.

And it APPEARS at though you are trying to bring into court nothing that has actual relevance to the case.

Are you really "concerned" for Lucy's "well-being" as you claim? If that is your case, then what I or others say have no relevance.  

YOU are not the victim here. You thought the Blantons were just going to slither away. Guess what, they didn't, and neither are the rest of us.

You are the one that is bullying them, playing games with them, and in the process, breaking the hearts of four children. You think your "position" in the town is getting you somewhere. Well, think again. It's not. All of this is just exposing you. And for the rest of you on council, boy, I couldn't look this man in the eye or be in the same room with him. Unfortunately Mr. Watson HAS made this a council concern.

So Ms. Garrett when you delete all of our posts, that's fine. We will take it elsewhere. To Fox 21, WSPA, and as far as we can take it. Y'all have a nice day now!

Cathy Weisner

Mauldin