The Grand Lodge of Georgia Free and Accepted Masons, a fraternal organization, is being sued by an Atlanta chapter and its senior officer who say the group's state leaders are trying to disband the local affiliate because it accepted a black man as a member.
The complaint, filed by Gate City Lodge No. 2 and its head, Michael J. Bjelajac, in DeKalb County Superior Court, also names Douglas Hubert Ethridge of Atlanta, Starling A. "Sonny" Hicks of Stockbridge and W. Franklin Aspinwall Jr. of Kingsland as defendants.
In the 31-page complaint, filed June 18, Bjelajac and Gate City claim when they accepted 26-year-old Victor Marshall into membership last fall, Hicks and Ethridge wrote letters to the state organization. The letters stated allowing a non-white man into the group violated the association's moral and Masonic laws.
Hicks and Ethridge sought to have Bjelajac expelled from the group and the dissolution of the Gate City chapter, which has 190 members and counted the late Atlanta Mayor William B. Hartsfield among its ranks.
Aspinwall, a Georgia attorney, is named in the suit because he was appointed to chair the internal "trial" the group plans to have.
The suit seeks a temporary restraining order to prevent that trial from proceeding and to leave Gate City's charter, which dates to the 1880s, active, as well as asking for court costs.
J. Edward Jennings Jr., the Grand Master of the state organization, which is headquartered in Macon, wrote a letter dated Feb. 25 saying Marshall's membership is legitimate and that he be received as a full Mason. On Monday, Donald DeKalb, the group's grand secretary, said the Grand Lodge of Georgia had no comment on the suit.
Marshall, the man whose membership sparked the controversy, said he doesn't regret his decision to join and that he doesn't believe the current situation is reflective of most Georgia Freemasons.
"It's not Freemasonry as a whole," the Sandy Springs Army Reservist said, explaining he has received e-mails of support from Masons around the state. "It's these individuals who have forgotten what Freemasonry is all about."
Hicks had no comment on the suit. Ethridge and Aspinwall could not be reached.
Gate City Lodge's attorney, David J. Llewellyn, said Bjelajac cannot comment because his job as an Atlanta police officer prohibits him from public comments in lawsuits even if they are unrelated to his profession.
But Llewellyn, who also is a member of the Atlanta chapter, said he's hopeful an amicable resolution can be reached.
"I think everyone would like to see the right thing done," he said.
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