Twin Cities builder Paul Stepnes is suing two Minneapolis police officers and WCCO television reporter Esme Murphy, claiming they violated his rights, smeared his name and derailed his attempt to raffle a $1.8 million home in hopes of avoiding foreclosure. In the lawsuit filed in federal court Monday, Stepnes asks for at least $75,000 in damages to compensate for pain and suffering, and his inability to sell the home he bought and remodeled at 2857 Irving Av. S., which was in foreclosure.
His attorney, Jill Clark, says Stepnes organized a contest in May in which the person who guessed the number closest to the correct amount of nuts, bolts and screws in a wooden chest without going over the amount would win the house. Stepnes planned to use the proceeds to pay off debtors and donate the remainder to charity.
Two weeks later, Sgts. Peter Ritschel and Jane Moore with the city's licensing and investigation unit booked him into the Hennepin County jail on probable cause of illegal gambling. The home was also searched, but no formal charges were filed against Stepnes.
Stepnes maintained that his contest was legal and had been cleared with lawmakers and the executive director of the Minnesota Gambling Control Board.
His attorney claims that the officers "acted with deliberate indifference to his rights" in the arrest and search, while Murphy, who had a news story about the contest in July, "sided with police" and "showed Stepnes in a bad light." WCCO TV and the Minneapolis police department had no comment, citing future litigation.
According to the website 2857irving.com, the contest has come to a halt with contestants being offered refunds. The redemption period on the foreclosed home ended September 26th 2008 and the property is presumably now owned by Americana Community Bank of Chanhassen, MN. Source; Star Tribune and internet sources.
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