BELLE — Maries County Commission ended the March 19 meeting with an impromptu closed session after Chris Heitman, retired sheriff, informed the group that he filed a lawsuit against Sheriff Mark Morgan for allegedly violating Missouri’s Open Records Laws. Morgan entered the meeting shortly after Heitman arrived and declined to discuss the Sunshine law request.

“I just filed a lawsuit against Mark (Morgan),” Heitman began. “If you guys want a copy of it, I’ll give it to you. I didn’t list the county. I just listed Mark in his official capacity. Unfortunately, the county still pays for it (through its insurance), but I didn’t want to list the county because you guys have done nothing wrong.”

Heitman said the suit he filed, which is a petition for a declaratory judgment for open records, was in regard to a Feb. 25 Sunshine request he made to Morgan. However,  Morgan responded on Feb. 26 with a “blanket denial” of all records requested.

“This is just for the Sunshine stuff,” Heitman reiterated. “It’s not for the other stuff. Are you guys aware of the other stuff?”

Commissioners said they don’t keep up with what’s going on unless its in the newspaper.

Heitman asked Treasurer Angie Stricklan, who was filling in for the clerk and deputy clerk attended a funeral, if she’d make copies of the suit.

“You guys don’t really need it,” he said. “You can report it to your insurance, but you don’t have to. This is just a mild case where (Morgan’s) denying access to records.”

After commissioners had a copy of the court documents, Heitman elaborated on the “other stuff.”

“In January this year, someone in the (sheriff’s) office ran my name in a database that provides a lot of personal information, including, you know, everything about me, everything I own,” Heitman said. “Basically traffic tickets, criminal histories, addresses, every place I’ve ever lived in my life, email addresses, everything. An ungodly amount of information it provides. And then I found out, so I asked for the records, and of course, (Morgan) denied it.

“One, for them to be able to run that, they have to have a justifiable law enforcement reason to do it, and I’ve been gone since Jan.1 (2025). It’s time for that man to move on.”

Heitman alleged that Morgan has been attacking him since he voluntarily left the office following the Jan. 1, 2025, swearing in.

“I mean, he’s been attacking me since I left,” he said. “You know, we caught him not being completely truthful before, and now he’s making frivolous complaints against the prosecutor. That’s just ridiculous. He’s not getting along with the judges. I don’t know when it’s going to end for me.”

Heitman told commissioners that one person who’s name was ran through the law enforcement’s system hasn’t lived in the county or worked for the county for more than six years.

“They’re finding out all this personal information, a clear violation of the law, state and maybe even federal law. But the first step the lawsuit is —.”

Heitman was interrupted as Morgan walked in.

Before Heitman’s arrival, Maries County Presiding Commissioner Vic Stratman had begun the meeting by addressing a request Morgan made that morning.

“Mark Morgan, the sheriff, stopped me outside in the yard this morning,” Stratman began. “He would appreciate if any elected official comes in, that he be notified, and he’d like to come and have some input. I said, ‘well, you here on Mondays and Thursdays?’ He said he usually is. So next time somebody comes in, like the judge or attorney, in the open meeting, he’d like to be notified. Give them a text, whatever.”

After everyone greeted Morgan, Heitman informed him he had paperwork waiting upstairs. Morgan said, “okay.”

“I was telling them about the Sunshine request and how I received information about the database my name was ran in,” Heitman said. “Are you willing to reconsider that request at all now that litigation has been filed?”

Morgan declined.

“Like I’ve said, I have responded how I legally need to respond at this time,” Morgan said.

“Was there any reason to run my name?” Heitman asked.

“I’ve responded what I legally need to respond,” Morgan said again.

“I’m not even talking about that,” Heitman said, referencing the Sunshine Law. “Why is Bret Turnbough’s name being ran?”

Morgan alleged he couldn’t discuss the topic.

“So, that’s why I had to file a lawsuit,” Heitman told commissioners.

“And absolutely file it,” Morgan said. “I mean, it’s not a problem.”

Heitman told Morgan the suit would be a problem because the sheriff couldn’t win.

“We’ll see,” Morgan said.

Heitman said he gave Morgan all of the case law he’d need to  move forward.

“There’s no reason for the county to fork out a bunch of money,” Heitman said. “What I’m trying to say is you’re unlawful blanket denial is a clear violation of Sunshine Law. And did you get any legal advice before you sent that?”

Morgan kept to his early answers, alleging he responded the way the law requires.

“I just recommend talking to your attorney,” Heitman said. “Amanda Sanbode’s gonna get with you today. I had the coroner’s office appointed to serve you.”

“Okay. That’s no problem.,” Morgan said again.

After briefly discussing a pursuit in Jefferson City that ended in the parking lot of Heitman’s scuba business, the conversation returned to the lawsuit, asking Morgan if he had any questions. When Morgan said no, Heitman said he was willing to answer questions.

“Well, if I’m under investigation, I’ll talk to you anytime,” Heitman said.

Morgan claimed the investigation wasn’t being conducted by him or his department. The room was “Alright. Well, its awkward, I guess I’ll leave,” Heitman said. “Good luck to you, Mark.”

After Heitman left the meeting, Morgan offered to share the details of the situation with commissioners if they wanted to adjourn into closes decision.

“So if you, if you guys would like an explanation, I have no problems,” Morgan said. “I think it would qualify for a closed, due to the legal nature of this, but that’s up you guys, whatever y’all want to do.”

Stratman asked if the case was strictly between the sheriff’s office and Heitman. Morgan wasn’t sure.

“I don’t know, it depends on how he filed it,” Mark said. “If he sued me personally, then it would be.”

Stratman said Heitman said he wasn’t going to file against the county

“Oh, so he’s suing me personally,” Morgan said. “Okay. Well, then, that’s correct. But he mentioned the county having to pay a bunch of money.”

Stratman said the sheriff’s office is still under the county’s insurance if they are sued. Morgan said it would be county business, then.

“So it’s up to you, whatever y’all want to do. I got no preference.,” Morgan said about having a closed session meeting.

Stricklan was using her cellphone to record on behalf of the clerk and deputy clerk. Stratman asked if it would affect her ability to record the meeting and she said she didn’t know. She offered to leave the device in the room and come back for it.

“Why don’t we go ahead and go into closed session?” Stratman said. “I think we’re done otherwise, so we won’t be going back into open session.”