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Coffee County District Attorney General Craig Northcott expressed in a letter obtained by the Manchester Times that he does not see evidence of criminal action in the dispute between a co-owner of property that houses a wedding venue building at the Manchester Coffee County Conference Center.

The letter comes after Louisville, Tenn. developer Wayne Lance sued the city and county over the venue being built without his consent on an acre of land that he shares ownership in.

That case was dismissed in Coffee County Circuit Court on April 11, which determined the statute of limitations had expired.

Lance had then approached Northcott asking the TBI to investigate criminal allegations.

He asks that since “The court blocked eminent domain, inverse condemnation path with the statute of limitation. (Their) confessed “Taking” context now translates to “stealing.” Refusing to share and account for rental income becomes embezzlement. My real property ownership and Citizenship are uncontested. This is Marxist activity and must be addressed,” Lance writes in a letter shared with the Times to Northcott.

However, Northcott replied that “any violation of law with respect to the use of your land would fall squarely within the realm of civil law and not criminal.”

Northcott goes on, “I have no authority to act on any civil violations in this matter. There are specific civil remedies for when the government takes private property.”

Northcott further opines sentiments shared in the county’s response to the original suit that the value of the property was improved by the structure, so he would have no standing for damages.

Northcott said that when asked, Lance couldn’t state what, if any, rental income had been generated by the use of the property nor did you provide any information to believe that the City/County would be unwilling to pay you for your portion of it.

“I don’t see any evidence of criminal activity that warrants further investigation. I will not be making a TBI referral for them to investigate this,” he writes, advising Lance to to retain legal counsel to assist you in evaluating whether any claim exists.