Rebecca Davis Quoted in WALB News Article on Legal Battle Over Bainbridge Monkey Facility

AGG Litigation & Dispute Resolution partner Rebecca Davis was quoted in a July 16, 2024, WALB News article regarding the ongoing legal battle over a proposed monkey breeding facility in Bainbridge. The civil suit filed by residents against the city of Bainbridge alleges the city violated the Open Meetings Act by approving the project without proper public notice in December 2023. As the suit does not initially include Safer Human Medicine (“SHM”), the company behind the project, it has motioned to intervene, arguing that its absence in the civil suit could lead to an inadequate ruling.

Rebecca, who represents the Bainbridge residents, argues that the lawsuit is only about government officials violating the Open Meetings Act.

“Safer Human Medicine has no obligation to comply with the Open Meetings Act,” said Rebecca. “This is not against them in that respect. This litigation is not about the bond validation.”

Rebecca goes on to state that SHM has no grounds to intervene.

“Safer Human Medicine does not get to say, ‘We matter more. We’re the most important here because all the taxpayers in this room are going to give us a ton of money. That’s why we matter more. So, we can say no one has to comply with anything because we matter more,’” Rebecca said. “That’s exactly what they’re saying. ‘There’s no obligation to comply with the Open Meetings Act because we matter more and we would be impaired.’ It doesn’t work that way.”

To read the full article, please click here.