Coffey, Price to star in remake of Laurel & Hardy's "Sons of the Dessert."

The knee-slapping hilarity in this sordid case of Copperhead's elder abuse and the reception of tainted housing property by a ventriloquist's puppet is overwheming even before one reads all the way to the bottom, and learns amid guffaws that Coffey's attorney is none other than Dave Matthews's right-hand GOP hatchet man, Rick Fox, who also lurks in the shadows of the unnecessary parks legislation.

Does that mean that Coffey also seeks to flip the floodplain parkland across the street from his house, where the public toilet used to be? Expect legislation in Indy soon.

New Albany City Councilmen Coffey, Price named in lawsuit, by Daniel Suddeath (OSIN)

... Price said with a primary scheduled for May, it seems like the timing of the suit was politically motivated since he and Coffey and are seeking another term on the council.

Price received a 30-day extension from Judge Terrence Cody to file his response to the claims, giving him until May 4 to finish his response. Coffey’s attorney, New Albany lawyer Rick Fox, said they will not request an extension.

That's some quorum: Price, Coffey join Benedetti, Messer on council's after-school detention list.

With an election right around the corner, let's hope the local combined newspapers take an interest in explicating a lawsuit that names two sitting and conjoined council persons, Dan Coffey and Steve Price, as defendants.

Rumors and accusations about this case of familial squabbling, elder care, sickbed sign-offs to strangers, property deeds, blood money and house flipping goes back a few years, and apparently it even made the newspaper, although all I can find by searching the Tribune archive is an angry letter taking issue with the newspaper's story, itself nowhere to be found: LETTERS: April 28, 2007 (by Patricia Walker). Was the story removed, or never archived? Only the Shadow knows.

Meanwhile, the lawsuit's a matter of public record, and not unlike Diane Benedetti's wine-driving case, it appears to have been pushed back until after the primary. How very unexpected. Yet another council member, Jack Messer, has just learned that his brush with notoriety (a suspension) cannot be ducked, but he's not on the ballot ... yet.

Follow the link for just the facts, Erika.

22C01-1103-CT-000313

Marcelene Jahn, Avis Byers, Dixie Denton et al vs. Dan Coffey, Stephen Price

03/07/2011 Floyd Circuit Court
CT - Civil Tort Pending

03/24/2011
Appearance Filed
Stephen Price
For Party: Price, Stephen
File Stamp: 03/24/2011

03/24/2011
Motion for Enlargement of Time Filed
Filed By: Price, Stephen
File Stamp: 03/24/2011

03/24/2011
Order Granting Motion for Enlargement of Time (Judicial Officer: Cody, John Terrence )
To and Including May 4, 2011
Order Signed: 03/24/2011