A recent ruling by a Georgia superior court judge has allowed Sandersville Railroad Company to seize land owned by the Smith family, who are Black. The judge ruled that the railroad company could use eminent domain to take the land for a rail spur project, despite the family’s objections.
The Smith family has owned the land since the 1920s, and it has been used for farming, fishing, and hunting. The proposed rail spur would cut through parts of the property, disrupting the family’s way of life and potentially causing damage from hazardous products being transported on the tracks.
The judge’s ruling upheld a previous decision by the Georgia Public Service Commission that the rail spur is necessary for Sandersville Railroad to connect industries and serves a public purpose by opening a channel of trade through east middle Georgia. However, the Smith family and their legal representatives are determined to continue their fight to keep the land.
Sources:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/black-family-won-t-back-140000761.html
https://www.theroot.com/the-infuriating-reason-why-this-black-georgia-family-mu-1851761721
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