(Monday, June 23, 2008) – The City of Little Rock scored a victory when Pulaski County Circuit Judge James “Jay” Moody, Jr., issued an order declaring as a common nuisance the Plantation Inn, located at 9321 Interstate 30, on Friday, June 20. This action was in response to a complaint filed by the City in response to numerous criminal activities at the site as well as life-safety issues.

The City of Little Rock presented evidence which established that Plantation Inn, Inc. had been used to facilitate the commission of a continuing series of three (3) or more criminal violations of Arkansas law including but not limited to, Murder in the First Degree, as well as, the sale, storage, and use of controlled substances.

Earlier this year, on the same date the owners were in court on life-safety violations, a homicide was committed at the Plantation Inn. After this incident, the City requested Judge Moody to close the facility.

Judge Moody instructed the owner, Bhulabhai Patel, to close, board, and secure Plantation Inn, Inc. within 10 calendar days from the date of the hearing. In addition, Mr. Patel is prohibited from allowing future occupancy at Plantation Inn, Inc. and must evict all present tenants, occupants, and owners, and order the same individuals to cease living, staying, working, or operating a business at the real property.

Previously this year, Judge Moody had given the owners thirty (30) days to correct life-safety violations. Though the owners had made attempts to correct those violations, the City was able to prove that the Plantation Inn was the site of numerous criminal activities. As such, according to State statute and City code, the City of Little Rock can request the closure of a business which is the site of several criminal actions.

“I am very pleased by this news,” said City Manager Bruce T. Moore. “This is a message that the City of Little Rock will not tolerate having businesses which are the site of repeated criminal activities.”

The enforcement action is another project of the City’s Criminal Abatement Program (CAP). CAP is a coordinated effort between the Mayor, City Manager, City Attorney, and Police, Housing & Neighborhood Programs, Planning & Development, Fire, and Public Works Departments. CAP has been recognized nationally by the International City/County Managers Association and the US Conference of Mayors.

“I am proud of the members of Little Rock’s CAP team for this success,” said Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola. “This is another example of the City’s commitment to public safety as our number one priority.”

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