Opinion ID: 175418
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: James and Riley’s Relationship and

Text: Riley’s Acquisition of SWRP Properties In 1999, Riley introduced the Mayor to a Newark-born professional basketball player, Eric Williams (“Williams”). 4 In 2005, a friend of James went to James’s home and asked him how to acquire property through the SWRP. James revealed detailed knowledge about which parcels were available for sale, who had acquired such properties in the past, and stated that if his friend applied for property he would “take care of” the process. SA 506:37. 5 Williams had recently signed a contract with the Boston Celtics and was interested in investing in his home town of Newark. Shortly after the Williams introduction, James’s Deputy Mayor brought Riley and her friend to Franklin’s office and told Franklin that James wanted him to “help these ladies acquire some property.” SA 229:172. Franklin knew that Riley had no experience as a real estate developer, but at the time Riley applied for property the pre-qualification process had been abandoned. Both James and Riley contest the duration of their intimate relationship. Nonetheless, James was aware that the City transferred real estate parcels to Riley because in his official capacity as Mayor, James signed each of the contracts transferring the properties to TRI. Riley maintained calendars and daily “agenda” lists containing innumerable notations regarding her communications with James about the status of her acquisitions of City-owned property from 2001 through 2006. James was also copied on a letter “advising” Riley that certain City-owned properties were set aside for acquisition by her company. Further, in April 2000, Riley wrote a letter to James, thanking him for his assistance in helping her to obtain Cityowned properties. Riley acquired City-owned property in three phases. Phase I consisted of four properties and Phase II consisted of three properties. Although the Municipal Council approved the sale of five other Phase III parcels to Riley in 2002, she was unable to close on the properties because James informed Franklin that the City “will not do any more business with Tamika Riley until further notice.” SA 235:196. In 2004, Riley resumed her pursuit of the SWRP properties (amended Phase III) and the Municipal Council authorized the sale of four other properties to Riley. Riley developed only two of all the parcels she purchased under the SWRP. As to those properties that she did not 6 develop, Riley quickly turned around and sold them for a profit.5 Riley’s access to SWRP property ended in 2006, however, when a new mayoral administration instituted legal proceedings to block the sale of the properties to her.