Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for September 9, 2006 DUANE "STREET PREACHER" LYON

From the Southern Illinoisan...

Alexander County candidate saw daughter nearly kidnapped

by andrea hahn, the southern

ALEXANDER COUNTY - First, there was a false arrest, and then there was a kidnapping attempt on his daughter.

Alexander County Commissioner candidate Duane "Street Preacher" Lyon said he had a bad weekend over the Labor Day holiday, but he hopes to turn it to good.

"When you are a public figure, sometimes you draw attention to yourself," he said. "I'm telling this story to people because I was watching my daughter when (the kidnapping attempt) happened - she was in my eyesight. People have to watch their children very carefully. Even at a rural picnic, things can happen. People drop in to places like this - they are predators, and they are hunting the most precious thing we have, our children."

The kidnapping attempt came Monday at a Labor Day celebration in Olive Branch. Lyon said his 13-year-old daughter had been singing on stage as part of the celebration entertainment. After she came off the stage, 68-year-old Donald Miller allegedly wrapped his arms around her and said, "Let's go to my truck - I have to put my cigarettes up," Lyon said.

"She just froze," he said. "She told me later, 'Daddy, I felt weird.' When an elderly man wraps his arms around a young girl he doesn't know, there is something wrong with that."

Lyon said he was close enough to see what was happening, and came at a run to intervene. When he approached, Miller fled.

Lyon said he learned later that Miller had approached his children and told them they had to be nice to him because he worked for their father. He does not, Lyon said.

"He's from Brighton - no, he doesn't work for me," he said. "I had never seen that man before."

Miller was charged in connection with the attempted abduction at the Alexander County Courthouse on Wednesday. His bail was set at $25,000. He remained at the Tri-County Detention Center Thursday.

"I'm happy with the bond that was set and I'm sure Alexander County State's Attorney Jeffrey Farris will do a good job with this," Lyon said. "We believe in Jesus Christ and we're thankful to him for our daughter's safety."

Lyon said his daughter was frightened and that the situation created "an emotional problem" for her. He said he is disturbed by rumors that the Brighton man was in the area for several days and was in the vicinity of young girls.

Whether the attempted kidnapping was politically motivated or not, he said, he doesn't know. His daughter was wearing a campaign T-shirt at the time, as the whole family was, Lyon said.

"I can't answer (what his motives may have been)," he said. "There is no way I can speculate as to what was in his mind."

He is convinced, however, that Friday's false arrest was certainly politically motivated.

"The false arrest was absolutely a political dirty trick," he said.

Lyon was arrested on charges of criminal trespass and harassment by mail after Cairo Police Officer Danny Brown found a flyer in the mail slot of his residence with Lyon's name on it.

Lyon said he was at the post office in Cairo with his 9-year-old daughter when a police officer came up to him and said they needed to go to the police department. He and his daughter were escorted across the street to the department, where Lyon was informed he was under arrest and read his rights.

"My daughter was held in another room for two hours without a juvenile officer present," Lyon said. "That's wrong, too."

As it turns out, the flyer was actually urging citizens not to vote for Lyon - it was a flyer in opposition to his election. Lyon said there was not "a scintilla of evidence" that he had placed the flyer anywhere - the officer saw his name on it and assumed it was his.

"They can support whomever they want (for political office)," he said. "But a police officer should not assume things and make arrests. They were about to transport me (to the Tri-County Detention Center). The mayor (Paul Farris) is in City Hall laughing his head off about this. I'm a forgiving sort of fellow, but I'd like an apology from the city."

Lyon said he got an apology from Brown - who has stated publically that he wasn't politically motivated when he made the complaint against Lyon.

Lyon remains unconvinced, and said he'd like to think police officers would just a little bit careful when making assumptions about political candidates so soon before an election.

"I promise to the voters I will not campaign against myself," he said, dryly noting that he will not distribute any anti-Lyon flyers illegally or any other way.