By Jennifer Jacob Brown

jjacob@themeridianstar.com



Self-described “Truthmaster” Harrison Lewis, Jr., who publishes the weekly Truthmaster Tabloid Newsletter, has filed a new motion in his suit against the city of Meridian, Mayor John Robert Smith, Chief Administrative Officer Ken Storms, and the Meridian Police Department.

Lewis filed a petition for a civil suit in September. He is suing the city and other parties for $5 million, claiming that he was wrongfully kept from attending the mayor’s weekly press conferences after asking the mayor a question about his personal life.

Lewis had been attending the press conferences as a representative of radio station WNBN 1290 AM, but was no longer employed at the radio station when he was told not to attend the press conference on Aug. 23, 2006. When he tried to attend the Sep. 5, 2006 press conference at the police station, he was told by Storms and two police officers that the mayor did not want him there.

Smith said Lewis was kept out of the press conferences because he was no longer a member of the “legitimate media,” which he described in a Meridian Star article as “those who are actually in the business of transmitting news to the public.”

Storms said the city had received complaints from the public about Lewis’ conduct at the press conferences and that the city did not want to deal with a tabloid-style newsletter.

Lewis filed a motion for default judgement with the Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk’s office and the Meridian City Clerk’s office on Dec. 3. The motion asks that the court rule against the city by default because the city did not respond to Lewis’ suit.

City attorney Bill Hammack said the city has not responded because Lewis, who is representing himself, failed to issue a summons.

“The suit’s filed, but he hasn’t done what he needs to do procedurally to make it an active suit,” Hammack said.

Hammack said the motion for default judgement has not yet been considered by a court.