Jack Dunavant, head of the Southside Concerned Citizens group, responded yesterday to a $27million lawsuit alleging that he unlawfully forwarded documentation of prospective hog farmer Leo Hinson's criminal record to the Halifax County Board of Supervisors.
"It is nothing but an attempt to silence me and Southside Concerned Citizens," he said. "That won't happen."
Hinson, represented by Richmond lawyer Gerald Zerkin, alleges that Dunavant, through a law enforcement officer, forwarded the information to the board prior to its meeting on August 30, 1999.
At that meeting, the Board voted on setbacks to be applied to livestock facilities in Halifax County.
According to the suit, Dunavant's actions effectively prevented Hinson from operating a confined animal feeding operation in the county.
This caused Hinson "economic injury in the amount of $9 million," according to the lawsuit.
Hinson had originally entered into an agreement with Carroll's Foods to operate a confined animal feeding operation on his farm in Halifax County.
Pursuant to that agreement, Carroll's Foods would supply feed and approximately 11,500 hogs and Hinson would provide labor, management and 12 housing facilities for the hogs.
On or about July 23, 1999, Hinson submitted a Local Government Ordinance Form (LGOF) to Halifax County officials for an agricultural land use permit to build 12 animal feeding houses on his farm.
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Department of Conservation and Recreation had already approved his plan.
The plan was not signed by the Halifax board because a moratorium was in place until the August 30 meeting.
The first count contained in the suit alleges that Dunavant "intentionally, willfully, and maliciously conspired with aforesaid law officer for the jointly held purpose of injuring the plaintiff in his trade, business, or profession."
Count two alleges that "by giving a copy of the plaintiff's criminal record to members of the board, the defendant disseminated the plaintiff's criminal history and record information in violation" of sections of the Code of Virginia.
"As a direct and proximate result of the defendant's actions, the plaintiff has suffered and will continue to suffer lost income and other economic injury, embarrassment and emotional distress," alleged the lawsuit.
Dunavant has 21 days to respond to the suit brought by Hinson.

Halifax Town Council approved a plan Tuesday night expanding the four old voting wards and creating a new ward within the town.
The Justice Department must approve the plan.
The May 2 election, with its race for two at-large seats in Halifax, is driving the necessity to quickly establish wards in the town.
A newly created Ward E, which includes the Golf Course Road area, will join the four existing, but expanded, wards.
If the Justice Department does not approve town council's plan as presented, then the upcoming election would exclude those in the newly annexed area in this at-large election, explained Town Manager Robert Greene.
Councilman S.J. "Jack" Dunavant said he was concerned about representation for citizens in Ward E.
The town manager said that when Justice Department approval came, the council could request a special election.
Greene also explained that council action taken now would be subject to change and reapportionment when the new census comes in.
In other business, council also heard a report on the first phase of the sewer plant upgrade. Greene reported two screw pumps would be ready within two months to initiate the upgrade.
During the evening, council presented Circuit Court Judge Charles L. McCormick III, a native son of Halifax, a plaque honoring him for his service to community and state. Judge McCormick retired in January.
Former classmates of Judge McCormick's at the old Halifax High School joined him at the reception.
Also, sponsors of the Risk Watch program, conducted at Halifax Elementary School by town police and guest speakers, were recognized with a plaque.
Sponsors included: Helen Compton, Halifax County Rescue Squad; Carole Lacks, Bohler-Udder Holm Specialty Metals; Phyllis Cole, Cole Crop Insurance; Garland Childrey, Garland's Jewelry; Jack Dunavant, Halifax Paving; Johnny Bass, Halifax Pharmacy; Kenneth Ragan, Halifax Service Center; Steve Henderson, Halifax Tire Company; Trey Cline, Lowe's Home Centers; Dr. David Milot, Milot Chiropractic Center; Ronnie Waller, Ronnie's Auto Service; David White and Allen McGhee, State Farm Insurance; Rick Hammock, Sunshine Mills; Bill Granger, Triangle Florist; Harold Walker, Wal-Mart; Johnny and Cathy Cole, WHLF-WJLC Radio; Ward Burton, Bill Davis Racing.

Halifax attorney Carol B. Gravitt and Jill Dickerson of Farmville have been named substitute judges in the tenth judicial district.
They are the first two female substitute judges in the judicial district.
The appointment to the two vacancies was signed in January by all three circuit court judges, Charles L. McCormick III, William Wellons and Richard Blanton, with McCormick sitting as the chief judge.
The appointment is for six years with the substitute judges available to serve in general district and juvenile and domestic relations courts in the eight-county district.
Gravitt is a partner with her husband, Alan, in the law firm of Gravitt & Gravitt in Halifax.
A Phi Beta Kappa, Gravitt earned her undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Virginia, as well as a master's degree in psychology.
The attorney has an extensive background in domestic and juvenile relations cases.
Leslie M. Osborn of Kenbridge, was elected last week by the Virginia General Assembly to an eight-year term on the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court.
The announcement was made Monday by Delegate Frank M. Ruff of Clarksville.
Osborn, a native of Cumberland County, has worked in the Kenbridge office of Harris, Matthews and Warren for the past 20 years. He and his wife, the former Kelley Irby of Blackstone, have two children, Jon and Marcy, and make their home in Kenbridge.
The Tenth Judicial Circuit stretches from Mecklenburg to Appomattox.

Construction could begin early this fall on the new additions to Sydnor Jennings, Clays Mill, and Scottsburg elementary schools.
"We could be breaking ground in August or September simultaneously at all three schools," said Dr. J. O. Crews, supervisor of Facilities and Community Relations for the Halifax County Public Schools.
The current schedule for the school system's proposed $10 million capital improvements project shows the bid documents being completed in May and the project being put out for bid in June.
"Hopefully, we'll be able to get favorable results from the bids that will allow the work to be done at all three schools at one time," Crews stated.
The Halifax County School Board approved schematic designs of the proposed additions and improvements to the trio of schools Monday night, clearing another early step along the path of the estimated $10 million project.
Crews, said this week that the most recent cost estimates from the architects peg the project at $8,433,000.
"That's right in the ball park we have been looking at," Crews said.
That, Crews said, is good news.
$10 Million Loan
Halifax County is seeking a $10 million loan to float the project. However, that figure has to cover other expenses as well, such as architectural and engineering fees, furnishings, computers and other equipment.
Broken down, the latest cost estimates show the Scottsburg project at $3,482,000, the Sydnor Jennings project at $3,000,024, and $1,927,000 for Clays Mill.
Scottsburg Elementary School will be receiving the largest of the building additions with an approximately 31,000 square-foot section being added onto the current building, which is a little over 20,000 square feet.
At Sydnor Jennings Elementary School, plans call for an approximate 26,000 square-foot addition to be coupled onto the current building, which stands at about 25,000 square feet.
At Clays Mill Elementary School, the proposed addition will be approximately 14,000 square feet. That will be connected to the existing building, which stands at approximately 38,000 square feet.
"That," Crews said, "will make all three buildings approximately the same size, in the 52,000 to 53,000 square-foot range."
Schools To Be Same Size
The three schools, Crews pointed out, would become virtually identical, making each of them capable of serving approximately 350 students in grades K-6.
In summarizing the schools, Crews said each school will get additional classroom space, a new gym, new media center, and will likely have separate facilities for art and music.
Crews also stated that there should be enough classroom space to allow the schools to do away with the mobile units at each school.
Parking areas and areas for unloading and loading children will also undergo some revamping, Crews said.
Other School Projects
McDannald Construction Company has been awarded the bids for two school system projects.
The firm's bid of $151,284 for the construction of a new concession stand/restroom facility at Tuck Dillard Stadium was accepted by the Halifax County School Board Monday night.
And, McDannald Construction Company's bid of $161,712 for additions and renovations to the county school bus garage facility was accepted for that project.

Somewhere in Somotillo, Nicaragua, today, 100 T-shirts are advertising the South Boston-Halifax County museum.
What was once an emblazoned "carriage" defect in the shirts' printing turned into 100 smiles in the Nicaraguan village, thanks to Ida Conner, who donated the shirts.
In the village of about 10,000 souls, still victims of Hurricane Mitch's vicious sweep through their land two years ago, the shirts and assorted hats were a big hit.
"The people just loved them," recalled John Harmon, displaying a photograph of 17 villagers happily wearing the T-shirts.
Harmon, Marion "Buggs" Drake and Paul Smith, all Virginia Partnership in Mission volunteers, spent about a week building houses in Somotillo last month.
They completed three houses during the Feb. 19-26 trip.
Each house is a 20'x20' single- room dwelling with a tin roof and no floor.
"On an average, between 10 and 15 people live in each house," Harmon said.
A truck driver with Puryear Tank Lines, Harmon had previous experience in construction, as had Drake through his farming operation.
"You learn as you go," said Harmon of the construction project. "If you're not experienced, they teach you. Bonded together through God's love and grace, we are able to help and to teach each other."
Laying block, fired from sand dug from a nearby riverbed, and roofing consumed the men's days.
At night the volunteers slept on foam mattresses in a villager's home.
"It was a local person, a man wealthy for that area, who had a 4,000-square-foot home," explained Harmon. "When the mission team comes in, he moves his family into one room and turns the rest of the home over to the team."
During the local Baptists' mission, the volunteers experienced temperatures that ranged from a low of 80 degrees to a high of 117.
There also was local drama.
Surrounded by "the circle of fire," the volunteers kept a vigilant eye on the ring of volcanoes.
"St. Christopher's was actually smoking," recalled Harmon. "It had been smoking and rumbling each day for about three weeks before we arrived. We would get up every morning to check it out."
The Southern Baptist Convention team was also surrounded by poverty.
There are many who "get up each day and wonder if they are going to survive, wonder whether their children are going to eat," Harmon recalled. "That is their routine every day."
For the volunteers, the daily diet was beans and rice for both breakfast and supper. "By Wednesday, you didn't care if you ever saw another bean ...or rice," Harmon said.
Chicken and oxen, which was described as stringy and tough, were also part of the volunteers' diet.
Due to diet and "Somotillo's revenge," Harmon lost three to five pounds during the mission trip.
It is, however, a trip he would repeat in a heartbeat. The children linger most in his thoughts.
"They just wanted love and attention," he explained, recalling the crowd of children that always gathered around volunteers.
During the trip, some of the mission volunteers got involved in a street soccer game. Following the game, when the volunteers asked if any of the players had questions about America, only one question surfaced: "Did we know President Clinton?" recalled Harmon with a smile. "He is even known in the village of Somotillo," added the volunteer.
One evening, in the middle of a street, the volunteers showed a movie of the life of Jesus.
"About 150 people watched the video and, at the end, we had about 45 people accept the Lord," added Harmon.
"We as a group took a family of five children," he added. "We took up a collection and put those five in school for a year. Maybe they will learn the basics and get a step up."
The volunteer said that the people "knew and appreciated" that the group was there to help them. "They are an appreciative people," he added.
"I had always heard that once you do this the first time, that there would always be this calling to help again," recalled Harmon.
And he is already mentally making his plans.

If Halifax County High School baseball coach Kelvin Davis had any preseason jitters, they should be gone by now.
Davis can take his team into today's game against William Fleming in Roanoke and into Saturday's home opener against Baldwin High School riding the wave of a big season opening win.
The Comets won their season opener Wednesday in fine fashion, blasting Person High 15-1 in Roxboro, N.C.
"I was very impressed with our overall performance," Davis said.
"We got to see a lot of things we have been working on like moving runners around. We had a hit and run that was successful. We stole a couple of bases. We showed some of the aggressiveness we needed to show.
"This was a crucial game for us," added Davis.
"It was just an overall good first game. We got out and put it all together in a game situation. The guys just went out and did a great job."
That, the Comets did.
Halifax County did the job at the plate, pounding Person High with 12 hits.
Josh Milam was one of the big ringleaders, going three for three at the plate.
Brian Medley was two for three, and R.D. Cole, who used three walks and a Person High error to get on base, scored four of his team's dozen runs.
Not only were the Comets' bats hot, they did not commit a single error while playing solid defensive baseball.
And, the Comets' hurlers got the job done on the mound.
Todd Meadows, the Comets' starter, gave up only four scattered hits and two walks and fanned six batters in four innings of work.
Scott Adams fanned three batters and allowed only one hit in two innings and Jonathan Wallace did a good job in closing the game while allowing a hit and a walk in the final inning.

The Comets got off to what would appear to be a good start with leadoff batter Geoff Moore getting on with a walk, Mike Priest reaching base on a single, and Meadows reaching base on a walk to load the sacks with one out.
But, the Comets were unable to plate a run as Medley and Chad Compton struck out to end the inning.
That was one of the few blemishes on the Comets' day.
"We've got to work on our two strike hitting," Davis pointed out.
"We've got to put the ball into play to manufacture runs."
After that, the Comets manufactured runs, a bunch of them, in fact.

Moore got the Comets in the top of the second inning with a two out double to spring the Comets to a 2-0 lead. He later scored when Priest reached base on an error to give the Comets a 3-0 edge.
Halifax County added three more runs in the top of the third inning with the help of a two RBI hit by Milam and run scoring single by Justin Smith.
The Comets plated three more runs in the top of the fourth inning with a two RBI single by Milam. Cole added the third run when he scored on a wild pitch to put the Comets up 9-0.

Person took advantage of two hits and a walk to score their only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 9-1.
Halifax County concluded the game with a six-run barrage in the top of the seventh inning aided by a two RBI double by Chris Brewer and run scoring plays from Chris Parker and Wallace.

Deacon Charlie Gordon Mitchell, age 76, of Nathalie, died Monday, March 13, 2000, in Newton, N.J.
Mr. Mitchell was born in Halifax County on June 10, 1923.
Survivors include two sisters, Julia Crute and Christine Green, both of Newark, N.J.
Funeral services for Mr. Mitchell will be held March 18 at 1 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Nathalie with burial in the church cemetery. The Rev. James Traynham will officiate.

Ernest William Stephens, age 59, of 2231 Meadville Road, Halifax, died March 15, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Stephens was born in Halifax County on February 9, 1941, the son of Lucy Tucker Stephens and Irving Stephens. He was a member of Elkhorn Baptist Church.
Survivors include one son, Ernest Stephens Jr.; five sisters, Mary Younger of Halifax, Rosa Logan of Washington, D.C., Ethel Venable of South Boston, Geneva Jones of Nathalie and Geraldine Norwood of Scottsburg; six brothers, Robert Stephens, Roy Stephens and Jerome Brooks, all of Richmond, Eddie Stephens of Landover, Md., McArthur Stephens of Java and Clyde Jr. Brooks of South Boston; and a devoted friend, Wallace Younger.
Funeral services for Mr. Stephens will be held March 18 at 11 a.m. at Elkhorn Baptist Church with the Rev. C. Lewis Motley officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the home of Lucy Tucker Stephens, 1200 Elkhorn Road, Java.