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March 11, 2020
The Voice of the West Valley for 34 years
‘Death sentence to his career’ BY TOM SCANLON
West Valley View Managing Editor
NEWS .............. 4
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According to fired Police Chief Jerry Geier’s side, this was a coup the likes of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” with Geier the victim of power-hungry plotters. “He did nothing to deserve the death sentence to his career,” said Geier’s attorney Steven Serbalik, near the end of Geier’s appeal hearing last week. The city would point to another play by Shakespeare, with Goodyear painting the fired chief as a scheming, self-serving manipulator, the likes of Claudius, an illegitimate king who takes a fall in “Hamlet.” Justin Pierce, an attorney representing the city, said Deputy Chief Justin Hughes — the subject of another investigation — and
several others disregarded Geier’s orders. “They felt like they had an ethical duty and responsibility to file the right reports,” Pierce said. “They did the right thing.” Geier, Pierce added, “failed in his duty as chief” by lying and not following procedures. Pierce said Geier fired others for being untruthful and should accept the same punishment. After three days of testimony, hearing examiner Harold Merkow has until March 17 — which is also “The Ides of March,” when Caesar was assassinated — to make his rec-
Police...continued on page 2
Jerry Geier, right, and his attorney Steven Serbalik appealed Geier’s firing as Goodyear’s police chief. Geier said the investigation that led to his firing “was very one sided.” (West Valley View photo by Tom Scanlon)
Memo urges autograph caution BY TOM SCANLON
West Valley View Managing Editor
Last week, officials made several discomforting announcements regarding COVID-19. According to the Center for Disease Control, “Older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease seem to be at higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness.” As such, the CDC Friday advised older adults to “stay at home as much as possible” and “avoid crowds.”
A few days before, ESPN broke a story about baseball autographs, stating Major League Baseball sent a memo advising, “Players (should) avoid taking balls and pens directly from fans to sign autographs ... and opt against handshakes.” This hit home at places like Goodyear Ballpark, where fans enjoy up-close encounters with players during Spring Training. For many, that includes having players sign baseball cards, hats, T-shirts, notebooks
Autographs...continued on page 4
Despite a warning from Major League Baseball, Bobby Bradley of the Cleveland Indians signed autographs before Friday’s Spring Training game at Goodyear Ballpark. (West Valley View photo by Tom Scanlon)
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