Lawsuit over VictoryLand raid dismissed

Lawsuit over VictoryLand raid dismissed

U.S. District Judge W. Keith Watkins dismissed a lawsuit Dec. 23, 2013, that alleged a raid of the VictoryLand casino in Macon County had violated the voting rights of Macon County residents.

The lawsuit said state officials’ actions against VictoryLand undermined a 2003 vote allowing charity bingo in Macon County, according to a report in The Montgomery Advertiser.

In his 50-page decision, Watkins wrote that the lawsuit had no legal merit and was “frivolous,” The Associated Press (AP) reported.

“The complaint has nothing to do with the infringement of voting rights,” Watkins wrote, according to the AP report. “The complaint attempts to revive a private business offering electronic bingo that has been deemed illegal by the highest court in Alabama, the highest law enforcement official in Alabama and the chief executive officer of Alabama, its governor.”

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange commended the recent ruling. 

Strange’s office and the Alabama Department of Public Safety raided Milton McGregor’s VictoryLand casino Feb. 19, 2013. The raid resulted in the seizure of more than 1,600 electronic gambling machines and more than $223,000 in cash. 

(TAB)