Echoing the words of the great empiricist George Berkeley, Mayor Mike Martin announced at a council meeting, "Perception is reality". Martin takes that view very seriously and seems to live his life by it. Just consider his attack on a long-serving member of the Villa Hills police department.
Martin has spent a great deal of time trying to destroy the reputation of this police officer since being elected to council in 2004. We now know that he launched a one-man investigation of the officer soon after joining council. Despite the inconvenient truth that the City Attorney was later quoted in the newspaper saying there was absolutely no evidence of any problems, Martin continued his assault.
Martin was arrested for forgery in 2007. The charges were dismissed a few months later. Not satisfied with avoiding a felony conviction, Martin filed a $1.5 million lawsuit that named this police officer as one of the defendants. Many think the lawsuit was designed to paint Martin as a victim of some sinister conspiracy. Here is where it gets interesting.
Martin accused the police officer of committing perjury. The seriousness of a charge like that can't be understated. An accusation of false testimony under oath is severely damaging to the reputation of a police officer.
Martin went so far as to circulate campaign literature door-to-door containing his allegation of perjury. After taking office in January, Martin was asked about his claim. He declined an opportunity to walk back that damaging accusation and instead told the reporter he stood by his charge.
Martin's $1.5 million lawsuit has been tossed out of two courts. His claims of conspiracy and unlawful arrest were pronounced baseless. Now Martin finds himself in the role of defendant in a LIBEL, SLANDER and DEFAMATION lawsuit filed by the police officer he targeted for years.
Martin will now get the opportunity to prove his claims that the police officer committed perjury. He may find that perception is not always reality. In this case, that frustrating, inconvenient truth is reality. And for Martin, reality may bite.
