Ambassador Bridge Owner Moroun and aide Stamper Jailed

**JBMcB** · January-12-12, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by yupislyr

“Without a trial, without a jury, with no notice stating the reasons for them to appear, a judge viciously lashed out at Matty Moroun and Dan Stamper today and ordered a penalty outside the bounds of a civil case that was excessive, unwarranted and outrageous. This is the same judge that refused repeated requests for site visits to actually see construction on the Gateway Project. This entire legal process has clearly become a personal vendetta by the judge against these individuals.”

Amazing how people get dumb about the legal system when it's convenient. This is, basically, a contractual dispute. The judge found the DIBC was in violation of their contractual obligations. The judge ordered them, directly, to comply with the contract. They refused. The judge can do, basically, anything he wants to compel, including jail time. He's given them ample time to comply with the contract, the DIBC has no legal ground to stand on.

**hamtown mike** · January-12-12, 04:57 PM

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It's like the satisfaction you feel after hours of chasing a housefly and finally nailing it with a newspaper.

**mcsdetroitfriend** · January-12-12, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

Of course....

VIP treatment...

Well honestly what do you expect the man is 84. If my grandfather wound up in jail I would want him kept away from people that would hurt him or conditions that would be bad for his health. Come on people

**gnome** · January-12-12, 05:09 PM

Exactly ... Kind of like how the Moms around Clark Park feel about their children. You know those moms who stay up at night listening to the asthmatic wheezing of their three year olds.

Don't come here and defend that man like you did when you hired teenagers to tear asbestos out of the Depot. In thirty years when those teens are suffering from your mindless act, I pray they search you down and thump you with their oxygen tanks.

**Detroit Stylin** · January-12-12, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by hamtown mike

It's like the satisfaction you feel after hours of chasing a housefly and finally nailing it with a newspaper.

now THAT'S funny! LMBAO.....

**mcsdetroitfriend** · January-12-12, 05:43 PM

Wasn't my idea or plan I volunteered just like the rest of them, I just happened to get more involved afterwards in providing historical information and details for them. I'm not defending anyone its just reading these reads like a bunch of teenagers. The hivemind going on here is pretty crazy. My hope is this will kick his ass into gear. I agree the company is fairly lazy about things so don't threaten me with your armchair anonymity.

**Wesley Mouch** · January-12-12, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Amazing how people get dumb about the legal system when it's convenient. This is, basically, a contractual dispute. The judge found the DIBC was in violation of their contractual obligations. The judge ordered them, directly, to comply with the contract. They refused. The judge can do, basically, anything he wants to compel, including jail time. He's given them ample time to comply with the contract, the DIBC has no legal ground to stand on.

Agreed on how dumb -- and I haven't read everything here, so I may be off base. The base issue may be contractual, but isn't the reason for jail time contempt of court? He didn't do what the court ordered. That isn't a judgement of right/wrong. Just a demand for compliance and respect.

**esteban** · January-12-12, 06:19 PM

It is one of Detroit's great curses. City elders are supposed to have a sense of responsibility, to offer wise council and leadership for the good of the city's betterment.

For elders, all Detroit has are pizza kings and the likes of this, avaricious, parasitical opportunists always looking for another way to stick it to the citizenry.

**rex** · January-12-12, 06:35 PM

I dont see MM as a terrible person. How can you fault him for being a smart businessman? Thats has a lot to do with his considerable success. He gives to charity, probably pays more in taxes than all of us put together, fixing MCS. Not a criminal. Hes an old foreign rich guy. Difficult to relate to but jail is for criminals. This guy doesn't fit the profile.

**Scottathew** · January-12-12, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by hamtown mike

It's like the satisfaction you feel after hours of chasing a housefly and finally nailing it with a newspaper.

Laughed so hard I farted!

**Detroit Stylin** · January-12-12, 06:52 PM

Ok so if one defies a court order wouldn't that make him a criminal according to federal, state, and municipal statutes?

**Detroit Stylin** · January-12-12, 06:54 PM

Attachment 11768

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**Scottathew** · January-12-12, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by rex

I dont see MM as a terrible person. How can you fault him for being a smart businessman? Thats has a lot to do with his considerable success. He gives to charity, probably pays more in taxes than all of us put together, fixing MCS. Not a criminal. Hes an old foreign rich guy. Difficult to relate to but jail is for criminals. This guy doesn't fit the profile.

We're not faulting him for being smart.

We're faulting him for not doing his agreed upon part of a multi-multi-million dollar project. We're faulting him for NOT complying with a judge's order to complete the project as specified. Instead, he greatly deviated from the plans so he could build a gas station. He gave the people and the tax payers of Michigan the middle-finger.

"Wow, thanks for spending 10's of millions of dollars to redo the interchange leading up to my bridge. I know this taxpayer funded project will greatly benefit me, however, now that it's my turn to complete the ramps I'm not going to do what I agreed to and instead make the bridge less efficient so I can make money. Even though I've been ordered by a court MULTIPLE times to complete the project as specified, I still won't. Screw you, I'm rich."

**corktownyuppie** · January-12-12, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by rex

I dont see MM as a terrible person. How can you fault him for being a smart businessman? Thats has a lot to do with his considerable success. He gives to charity, probably pays more in taxes than all of us put together, fixing MCS. Not a criminal. Hes an old foreign rich guy. Difficult to relate to but jail is for criminals. This guy doesn't fit the profile.

I don't see MM as a terrible person. I do see him as a criminal. He has knowingly violated a court order for two years, with no intention of complying. I'm all in favor for his success. But no one is above the law. He is no exception.

And remember, while it may have been the judge's discretion to give him jail time...but it was MM's decision not to do what he was supposed to have been doing for the last 2-10 years.

How many chances should he get?

**Richard** · January-12-12, 07:05 PM

It kinda makes one wonder if the bridge had been built further up the road if the anger would have moved with it,but something tells me that those lives have less value.

Interesting how the new city charter ,something that would actually benefit the city received 13 posts but when it comes time to burn somebody at the stake it is 60 and climbing, more would show up for the burning then to vote. Carry on.

**yupislyr** · January-12-12, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by rex

Hes an old foreign rich guy.

He was born in Detroit.

Also, their appeal was denied so looks like they're in jail at least for tonight. Matt Moroun is going to be on Let It Rip tonight on FOX2

**mikefmich** · January-12-12, 07:32 PM

BWAHAHAHAHA....this has made my evening, just as the Wings game is about to start.

Yo Manny.....chill. lol

**Meddle** · January-12-12, 07:38 PM

Even the Big Quit was a Con Job:

Even though attorneys for Moroun told a judge this morning that the billionaire had resigned from the board of the Detroit International Bridge Co., an attorney said this afternoon that the bridge company had not accepted the resignation.

“The offered resignations from Matty Moroun and Dan Stamper were not accepted by the company,” William Sankbeil, an attorney for Moroun, said in a statement.

“Nothing has changed in the hierarchy of the company’s chain of command,” Alan Upchurch, a spokesman for the bridge company, said in an email.

http://www.freep.com/article/2012011...-attorney-says

**wolverine** · January-12-12, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by rex

I dont see MM as a terrible person. How can you fault him for being a smart businessman? Thats has a lot to do with his considerable success. He gives to charity, probably pays more in taxes than all of us put together, fixing MCS. Not a criminal. Hes an old foreign rich guy. Difficult to relate to but jail is for criminals. This guy doesn't fit the profile.

What are you talking about? He defied a court order...

**mikeg19** · January-12-12, 07:44 PM

Some of the comments in this thread are kinda insane and lead me to believe that certain people are no better then good ol' Matty himself. The man is 84 years old and has health problems. Do I feel bad he's in jail? Not a bit. But having said that you can't seriously expect them to throw him in the hole and feed him a can of soup once a day. This isn't Mogodishu. Do I wish him death because he's a deadbeat landlord? No.

**Jimaz** · January-12-12, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by truthseeker

Manuel Moroun: locked up in Wayne County Jail...Look in Vinelink.comHe's there....you can also sign up to be notified when his status changes.

Thanks, that is very helpful. I did later notice my spelling error.

His Vinelink data

I'm really looking for mugshots. They might make an interesting art project.

**Scottathew** · January-12-12, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

Interesting how the new city charter ,something that would actually benefit the city received 13 posts but when it comes time to burn somebody at the stake it is 60 and climbing, more would show up for the burning then to vote. Carry on.

It feels good to see scum locked up in jail.

How else do you propose we motivate him to comply? Nothing has worked. Not fines. Not court orders. Not the threat of jail.

Nothing. Has. Worked.

**Scottathew** · January-12-12, 08:06 PM

http://www.freep.com/article/2012011...text|FRONTPAGE

Appeals court DENIES bid for release!

A three-judge panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals Thursday evening denied 84-year-old billionaire Manuel [[Matty) Moroun’s and his top aide's request for release from jail pending appeal.
That means the Ambassador Bridge owner and president, sent to jail this morning by a Wayne County judge until they comply with his order to finish Gateway project ramps, will stay in jail at least until the appeals court hears further arguments.

**JBMcB** · January-12-12, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

I don't see MM as a terrible person. I do see him as a criminal. He has knowingly violated a court order for two years, with no intention of complying.

Not fulfilling your contractual obligations doesn't make you a criminal. Neither does disobeying a judge's orders. This is all civil court.

If you think he should be prosecuted for a particular crime, file a writ of mandamus compelling the Wayne County Prosecutor's office to prosecute him for that crime. Good luck.

**Richard** · January-12-12, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

It feels good to see scum locked up in jail.

How else do you propose we motivate him to comply? Nothing has worked. Not fines. Not court orders. Not the threat of jail.

Nothing. Has. Worked.

The same question was asked in the bridge debate thread where I posted that the only two entities that could make him comply would be MDOT and the judge, that's where the anger should have been channeled to achieve results.

I understand the venting aspect ,no problems, I also understand that sometimes business owners can cross the line of its just business and they may need to be reminded that the system of checks and balances does work when applied.

I like the passion, I just hope that it can also be channeled to help improve the city in the future in a positive way with results a bit faster then this whole episode,So things like this can be stopped before they get out of hand, before desperation kicks in.I think in the long run everybody would be much happier, although the city may become boring at that point.