Little Rock man's ban from city buildings after threats stays put

A ban that keeps the man convicted of threatening Little Rock City Manager Bruce Moore from entering city buildings will continue for at least another year.

Luke Skrable, who was convicted of two counts of terroristic threatening in July 2015, had requested earlier this year that the ban be lifted.

The ban has been in place since January 2015, after he sent an email to Moore that said in part, "Your days are numbered." He also had left a threatening voice mail with the Public Works Department.

Skrable's attorney said in an initial request to Moore that Skrable had completed probation and that he now wants to be allowed to attend to Little Rock Board of Directors meetings at City Hall and attend neighborhood association meetings held at community centers.

Moore denied the request, citing the seriousness of the threats, and said Skrable could ask for the ban to be lifted again in one year.

Since there was an allegation that Skrable's First Amendment rights were being stifled, he was allowed to appeal Moore's decision to the board.

While the board took no official vote on the matter, Mayor Mark Stodola told board members March 7 that if he didn't hear from them in one week's time, he would let Skrable know his appeal was denied.

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Stodola sent a letter to Skrable's attorney, Ed Adcock, on Wednesday informing him of the denial, but included no explanation.

Ward 1 City Director Erma Hendrix made a motion at Tuesday's board meeting to lift the ban on Skrable, but the motion did not receive a second.

"Will you let the record show that I'm supportive of this man coming to this building?" Hendrix asked. "I think we are using Bruce as a shield."

She later said, "I do not oppose Mr. whatever-his-name-is coming back here."

"I'm not afraid of Luke. These people need to know God, that's how I feel about it. Let him come back to this building. If they're scared, that's their business," she said referring to fellow city directors.

City Director Ken Richardson said he supported Moore's decision to continue the ban against Skrable. No other city director commented on the matter.

Skrable has argued since being charged with terroristic threatening that his comments to Moore in the email and his remarks in a voice mail that said in part, "Someone's going to be bleeding," were metaphors not to be taken at face value.

Metro on 03/23/2017

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