Lawmakers want to make it easier to shut down certain nuisance properties

Rep. David Leland, a Columbus Democrat, is one of the sponsors of a bill that would add the words “violent acts” to the state’s nuisance law.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — To say Club LaRue on Karl Road in Columbus was a nuisance is an understatement. Police were called there 45 times in less than three months in 2014 for shootings – including one homicide, fights and sexual assaults.

But it wasn’t until after undercover officers had evidence of the sale of alcohol to a minor that the city was able to board up the place as a nuisance under state law.

Some state lawmakers want to change that.

Under the current law, judges can consider evidence of illegal drugs, alcohol and prostitution when making a determination of nuisance.

Rep. David Leland, a Columbus Democrat, is one of the sponsors of a bill that would add the words “violent acts” to the state’s nuisance law.

“I mean, we’re talking about a pattern of violence,” Leland said. “We’re not talking about an incident here or an incident there. We’re talking about a place where this stuff happens a lot.”

Read the full article.

By Ted Hart

NBC4i.com Published: September 29, 2015