Ex-supervisor candidate Reul appeals order to pay woman

Published 12:49 am Saturday, March 3, 2012

A former candidate for District 2 Supervisor is appealing a county court order that she pay $9,500 to a woman whose belongings were wrongfully removed and thrown away.

County Judge Johnny Price on Feb. 16 ordered Deborah “De” Reul to pay the money to Rhonda Whittington, whose house on Victory Lane was emptied on May 18, 2011, by workers hired by Reul. The workers were supposed to be cleaning a property down the street that was purchased by Reul but went to the home, according to court records.

“I found them in my yard loading things up in trucks,” Whittington said.

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Furniture, paperwork and many irreplaceable items were destroyed or damaged when the workers entered her home, Whittington said. The money she sought in court covers replacing household items and $2,000 in legal fees.

“That’s enough to pay for my furniture but as far as pictures of my late father, I can’t replace that,” she said.

Reul’s attorney, Wren Way, declined to comment on the pending litigation that was filed Thursday.

Reul offered little comment, but was confident in her appeal.

“I am sure that we will prevail,” she said.

Grounds for the appeal were not listed in paperwork filed with the circuit clerk’s office.