Turner: Bring terror trials to Monroeville

Monroeville City Councilwoman presented an idea to her fellow council members and Mayor Mike Kennedy Tuesday night that she believes would boost the local economy.

During the council meeting at City Hall, District 3 Councilwoman Barbara Turner suggested the city contact President Barack Obama and let him know if he could not hold the terrorists’ trials in New York, Monroeville would be glad to allow the trials to be held here.

“New Yorkers don’t want the terrorists’ trials to be held there, so why don’t we send a letter to President Obama and tell him to bring the Iraqi terrorists to Monroeville to be tried,” she said. “We have the old courthouse, the new courthouse and some of the best lawyers in the state and we have a DA (district attorney) and assistant DA that will stand toe to toe with the best. We have some very astute judges that can handle it (the trials).”

Turner said having the trials in Monroeville would bring the major news networks such as CNN and the Associated Press and others.

“Every hotel and motel and all the bread-and-breakfast houses would be filled to capacity,” she said. “They’ve got to eat three meals each day. The restaurant business would be booming and they would hire extra people. We really need that here.

“This would bring in more money and jobs. We have 21 percent unemployment. During the depression we had 25-percent unemployment nationally. We’ve got to think outside the box and we’ve got to look for opportunities.”

She said the council and mayor must let the people and the states know where Monroeville is on the map.

“We’ve got to let the big companies know that Monroeville is not afraid to take on a challenge,” Turner said. “We have to let the whole United States know Monroeville is here. And, I think it would be a good idea to bring the trials here. We’ve got a big jail and after we convict them, we can send them to Holman to the big yellow mama. It’s really something to think about.”