Dr. Mark Hayden
A wealthy Alabama businessman vowed to see his physician nephew "rot in prison" and donated $100,000 to the campaign of the sheriff who helped orchestrate the nephew's arrest, according to a recently filed affidavit.William Cashion, CEO of Western Steel Inc. in Bessemer, said he wanted Dr. Mark Hayden, of Wetumpka, to "rot in prison," according to an affidavit from George E. Pace, a reserve deputy with the Elmore County Sheriff's Department, Hayden, in fact, recently spent 25 days in the Jefferson County Jail due to a dubious civil-contempt order from Circuit Judge Michael Graffeo. Hayden's arrest writ recently was re-issued, and he now is back under threat of incarceration -- in a fully civil matter, which involves no allegations of a crime.
Pace's affidavit is included with papers Hayden is preparing for a federal lawsuit related to his original arrest on November 28, 2016. Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale was responsible for carrying out Graffeo's arrest order. Pace states in his affidavit that Cashion said he was an honorary deputy in Jefferson County and had contributed $100,000 to Hale's election.
Hayden's arrest stems from a 2012 lawsuit styled Cashion, et al v. Hayden, et al. During a divorce, Cashion had appointed Hayden as his power of attorney. When Cashion spent roughly $6 million on an Alabama gold mine that produced no gold, Hayden used his authority to establish a Nevada spendthrift trust in an apparent effort to keep his uncle from spending even more money on the gold venture.
Cashion objected to his nephew's action and set off a string of legal actions that involve both state and federal courts, in Alabama and Nevada.
Was Cashion so angry that he bribed Hale (and perhaps Graffeo) to seek retaliation against Hayden? Pace's words suggest the answer might be yes. From the affidavit:
William B. Cashion met me in person in Wetumpka, Alabama, and discussed law enforcement in Alabama.
I, George Pace, showed him my constable badge from Elmore County, and he showed me his badge from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.
Cashion said he was some type of deputy, that Mike Hale had personally given him the badge.
He said he had contributed $100,000 per election to Hale.
Cashion said he wanted Steven Mark Hayden to rot in prison.
Mark Hayden -- Federal Complaint, Including George Pace Affidavit by Roger Shuler on Scribd
