MILWAUKEE -- Orange fencing surrounding Milwaukee's Sherman Park was removed early Monday afternoon, a day after a judge ruled in a special session that Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke could not keep closing the park early at 6:00 p.m.
TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Julia Fello tweeted video of the fencing coming down just before 1:00 p.m. Monday:
#ShermanPark fencing now being taken down by ##MKE County Parks Dept. @tmj4 #tmj4 https://t.co/d9TsUpQrcJ
— Julia Fello TMJ4 (@JuliaFello) September 5, 2016
In the special session, Judge David Hansher issued a temporary restraining order against Sheriff Clarke and said he can't close down Sherman Park early. He also ordered that the orange fence be removed once again.
Hansher said Clarke can't impede the public's access to the park and closing it does not serve the public's interest. He said that he wishes the sheriff and county executive would have worked something out.
Chris Abele tells us he felt the fencing needed to go to get this community back to normal after so much unrest on August 13 when Sylville Smith was shot and killed by a Milwaukee Police officer.
For three weeks, Abele claims he has not been able to get hold of Sheriff Clarke.
"We’ve sent letters for weeks trying to get in touch with the sheriff’s office saying, 'Hey could you take down the fence?'" said County Executive Chris Abele.
After Abele had jail inmates tear the fencing down Sunday morning, the sheriff ordered deputies put the fencing back up Sunday afternoon.
A judge finally ordered the fencing be taken down, after a courtroom showdown during a special session Sunday.
TODAY'S TMJ4 reached out to Sheriff David Clarke's media representatives and have not heard back.
Another court date on this is scheduled for Wednesday.
Until then, Sherman Park will remain open until 10 p.m.
