Letter to Judge Pittman from Blacksher RE Selection of Individuals to Assist Court in Devising Remedy

    b cond ld j— 1 — — — 

CRAWFORD, BLACKSHER, riGURES & SROWN 

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 

1407 DAVIS AVENUE 

MOBILE, ALABAMA 36603 

VERNON Z. CRAWFORD 
~ 

JAMES UJ, BLACKSHER ARSA COTE (223 

MICHAEL A. FIGURES 

WwW. CLINTON BROWN, JR. 

GREGORY B.STEIN 

LARRY T. MEMEFEE 

October 6, 1976 

on. Virgll Pittman 
United States District Judge 
213 Federal Building 
Mobile, Alabama 36602 

Re: Bolden, et al. wv. City of Mobile, et al, 
Civil Action No, 75-297-P = 
  

Dear Judge Pittman: 

Pursuant to Your Honor's instructions of September 29, 1976, 
Plaintiffs recommend the below listed three individuals to 
assist the court in devising a remedy should Your Honor 
rule in favor of the Plaintiffs. We have endeavored to se- 
lect individuals who meet the general requirements expressed 
by Your Honor and could work effectively on a small committee 
to prepare a plan for a Mayor-Council form of government with 
single-member districts. 

1
 

<q
 

D
O
 
H
O
 
H
B
 

ried to select persons who were, first of all, able and 
ligent. Additionally, we sought out those who through 
-hand civic experience are well informed about local 
ics in the City of Mobile, while not being themselves 
tly affiliated with past or present City Commissions. 

ried to offer through our nominees a representative 
ance of the various citizens of this community, Black and 

male and female, Democrat and Republican. 

pn
 
S
i
 

|
 

O
H
 

Od
 

cr
 

"1
 

4
 

il
 

L
d
 Hh 

<>
 

a
y
 

<L 

W
E
 

wl
 

ry
 sd
 
wi

ll
l 

rt
 

i 
(D
 

w
t
 

“<
y 

t
 

@
)
 

Y
O
 

r
e
 

0 
0 

(OD
 not submitting the names of any academicians or 

jsesciang It was our understanding you would allow the 
tee of three representative, public-minded citizens if 
aw the need, to select their own experts, to assist 

wn
 

 



them in carrying out the court's instructions. Indeed, this 

is the approach Judge Johnson has taken in appointing the 

various Human Rights Committees overseeing the court injunc- 

tions against the state mental hospitals and prisons. However, 

should Your Honor desire to appoint either an expert political 

scientist, statistician or other technician directly to the 

committee, we stand ready to make recommendations for such 

appointments as well. 

Plaintiffs, therefore, nominate the following three persons: 

1. Mr. James E. Buskey, 2207 Barretts Lane, Mobile, Alabama, 

36617, phone 457-7928. Mr. Buskey is the recently elected 

representative of House District 99. He is Black,’ 39 years 

old, and holds an Ed.S. Degree from the University of 

Colorado in the field of school administration with emphasis 

on urban problems. 

2. Mrs. Pat Edington, 1220 Selma Streer, Mobile, Alabama, 
36604, phone 433-1750. Mrs. Edington has been active in 
Mobile politics for years and was most recently an unsuccess- 

ful candidate for the Alabama House in 1974 and for Democratic 

Convention Delegate in 1976. She is a White resident of the 

older residential section of Mobile and has in the past taken 

part in efforts to change the form of Mobile's govermment to 

Mayor-Council. 

3. Bert S. Nettles, 136 Silverwood Avenue, Mobile, Alabama, 

phone 478-1503; office address, 3311 First National Bank 

Building, Mobile, Alabama, 36602, phone 432-8787. Mr. Nettles 

is White and a member of the bar of this court, whose ability 

is well known to Your Honor. He is an active Republican and 

served for many years in the Alabama House of Representatives. 

All three of these people have indicated their willingness 

to serve. 

Very respectfully, 

CRAWFORD, BLACKSHER, FIGURES & BROWN 
4 

Jet / // 

Z. U. Blacksher  



  

ee! 

Charles A. Arendall, Esquire 
Michael A. Figures, Esquire 
Rev. Robert Hope 
William J. O'Connor, Clerk 
Charles Williams, Esquire 
Edward Still, Esquire