Judge rules in favor of city, Festival in gun ban lawsuit
(Image via YOUTUBE) In this screen grab, Scott Herndon (right) attempts to convince Sandpoint City Attorney Will Herrington he should be allowed to enter the Festival at Sandpoint while carrying a firearm in 2019.
SANDPOINT — First District Judge Lansing Haynes has found in favor of the city and the Festival at Sandpoint in a second lawsuit over the Festival’s ban on firearms possession at its 2019 Festival.
The petitioners in this case — Scott Herndon, Jeff Avery, Idaho Second Amendment Alliance, and Second Amendment Foundation — filed a civil complaint on May 29, 2020 containing six claims. The court heard oral arguments from all parties on April 26, 2021. In his decision issued today, Judge Haynes found in favor of the City of Sandpoint and Festival at Sandpoint on all claims.
In the earlier case filed by Bonner County and Sheriff Daryl Wheeler against the city of Sandpoint, the city and county agreed to a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal. Under that agreement, Bonner County paid the City of Sandpoint $71,206.55 as ordered by Judge Lansing Haynes of the First Judicial District Court, Bonner County, Idaho in his written decision issued September 2, 2020. Judge Haynes found in favor of the city of Sandpoint concluding that Bonner County and Sheriff Wheeler lacked standing to bring the case before the Court.
“We are currently finalizing the permit with the Festival at Sandpoint for this year’s concert series, and we look forward to the return of the Festival at the fully renovated War Memorial Field this summer,” remarked Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad. “The Festival is an event our community and visitors look forward to each and every year and it is an important economic driver for our community.”