Former charity bingo employees clustered around the Walker County courthouse as the county commission met inside. They are mad about the court ruling that made electronic bingo illegal and left them without jobs.
There were about fifteen charity electronic bingo businesses operating in Walker County until Judge Robert Vance ruled that they are not legal under the county's constitutional amendment that allows charity paper bingo.
Bingo hall owner Curtis Whitley said the decision wiped out 1100 jobs. He said 6000 Walker County residents signed a petition seeking another constitutional amendment to make the machines legal.
Walker County Commission Chairman Bruce Hamrick said he hates to see people lose their jobs, but the court ruling was clear that county leaders can't change it. Hamrick says his hands are tied.
"People are always more important than machines or buildings and at times our community seems pretty evenly split about whether they want electronic bingo or not, but it doesn't matter. Judge Vance said it was out so that's it," said Bruce Hamrick.
One protestor said that's not good enough.
"We're going to remember all these politicians and people we voted for to help us and get us a job and they've let us down," said Kay Reece.
Monday afternoon lawyers for both sides clashed again in Judge Vance's court over a requested stay of the court order. Defense attorneys wanted the electronic bingo halls to remain open pending the outcome of an appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court.
Herbie Brewer said the abrupt loss of jobs and cuts in charity funding will have a catastrophic effect on the local economy.
"If we wait through a year long appeal process than those are things that are never going to be regained," said Herbie Brewer.
Walker County District Attorney Charles Baker argued that the judge may not have the authority to grant that request, and said it would put law enforcement officers back in a tough situation.
"We've tried to be reasonable during the past three years when this was pending. So the sheriff has told them have them out of the county by the end of business on Thursday," said Walker County District Attorney Charles Baker.
Judge Vance did not grant the requested stay, but defense attorney Herbie Brewer says even though electronic bingo is shut down in Walker County it's still being played in Alabama.
Bewer said during the protest a blimp could be seen floating over Jasper advertising a casino in a different county.
