Bessemer Judge Will Issue Bingo Ruling Monday

Jim Stevens represents the V.F.W. electronic bingo hall on Bessemer Superhighway. The doors are locked and the parking lot empty after the District Attorney shut them down in April. Now five months later a judge is dismissing the case and the V.F.W. is getting its computers back.

By: Jon Paepcke | Alabama's13.com
Published: September 26, 2008

BESSEMER, Ala. --- Jim Stevens represents the V.F.W. electronic bingo hall on Bessemer Superhighway.

The doors are locked and the parking lot empty after the District Attorney shut them down in April.

Now five months later a judge is dismissing the case and the V.F.W. is getting its computers back.

Judge Mac Parsons will issue his ruling Monday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. in Bessemer.

Stevens still isn't satisfied.

Less than a mile up the road in Brighton, another charity bingo hall is being allowed to operate.

“If other people are going to be open anywhere in Jefferson County, it doesn't matter. And they're not being closed under the guise they're doing an illegal operation, than yes we're going to open,” Stevens pointed out.

Stevens says if the district attorney doesn't take any action against the Brighton bingo hall, potential bingo operators will see that as a green light to move in and set up shop in Jefferson County.

“If he allows Brighton to stay open, it's not just going to be the V.F.W., it's going to be a lot of people which will start opening places. So now the door is open, the box is open so to speak,” Stevens concluded.

District attorney Arthur Green was out of town Friday and could not be reached on his cell phone.