Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 7-19-19

Feature
Bay Area Resident Is One Of 10 Named In Suit On Felons’ Voting Rights
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Bay Area resident, Rev. Clifford Tyson is one of the 10 people being represented that’s suing the state of Florida over their voting rights. The lawyers from Brennen Center for Justice
were in Tampa from New York to visit with Tyson and his wife last month.
Rev. Tyson is one of the faces that represents 1.4 mil- lion felons whose voting rights were restored in No- vember, 2018 by Amend- ment 4.
Rev. Tyson’s name is
sion.
Those whose names are
listed on the document as plaintiffs are: Jeff Gruver, Emory Marquis “Marq” Mitchell, Betty Riddle, Kristopher Wrench, Keith Ivey, Karen Leicht, Raquel Wright, Steven Phalen, Clifford Tyson, and Jermaine Miller, along with FLORIDA STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NAACP, ORANGE COUNTY BRANCH OF THE NAACP.
The suit was filed by Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, 120 Broadway, Suite 1750, New York, NY 10271.
It reads in part, “Plaintiff CLIFFORD TYSON is a U. S. citizen and Florida resi- dent. He is a 62-year-old Black man and a Pastor. He has been convicted of three felonies related to theft or robbery. He fulfilled all terms of community control
and probation and was re- leased from supervision on October 6, 2003.” It is not clear what amount Tyson actually owes to Hillsbor- ough County.
The suit continues, “Pas- tor Tyson is a productive member of his community and provides pastoral care in prisons across the state. His voting rights were restored on January 8, 2019, by oper- ation of Amendment 4. He registered to vote that day in Hillsborough County and, as a registered voter, subse- quently voted on two occa- sions: March 3, 2019 and April 23, 2019.
Pastor Tyson has paid off his restitution obliga- tions, but is unable to pay the costs imposed as part of his felony sentences. He was un- aware those costs remained unpaid until he was notified by counsel, and it is unclear from records or officials how much he actually has out- standing. Because of Pastor Tyson’s inability to fully pay these monetary obligations, he fears he might be removed from the voter registration rolls or denied the right to vote.”
The suit asks on behalf of the plaintiffs: REQUEST FOR RELIEF WHEREFORE Plaintiffs respectfully request the following relief: a) De- clare Fla. Stat. §§ 98.0751(1)–(2)(a), as amended by SB7066, uncon- stitutional in derogation of the First, Fourteenth, Fif- teenth, and Twenty-Fourth Amendments and the Ex Post Facto Clause of the United States Constitution; b) Temporarily, preliminar- ily, and permanently restrain and enjoin the State of Florida from enforcing the provision of Fla. Stat. §§ 98.0751(1)–(2)(a); c) Award Plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees in this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1988(b); d) Award Plaintiffs their costs of suit; and e) Grant such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper in the circumstances.”
REV. CLIFFORD TYSON ...One of 10 named in suit
listed along with the NAACP on Case 1:19-cv- 00121-MW-GRJ Document 1 Filed 06/28/19, IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTH- ERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, Gainesville Divi-
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