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Restaurant owner who was in jail says rights were violated

Marlena Pavlos-Hackney wants a refund of $15,000 in fines and contempt findings dropped.

Credit: AP

Marlena Pavlos-Hackney talks on a cell phone at her Holland restaurant, Marlena's Bistro & Pizzeria, on Thursday, March 18, 2021, in Holland, Mich. Michigan State Police arrested Pavlos-Hackney on Friday, March 19, 2021. State investigators say she ignored caps on restaurant capacity and wasn't enforcing mask rules. Her food license was suspended Jan. 20, but the eatery remained open. (John Agar/The Grand Rapids Press via AP)

A western Michigan restaurant owner who spent four nights in jail for violating coronavirus-related orders is firing back weeks later.

Marlena Pavlos-Hackney wants a refund of $15,000 in fines and contempt findings dropped. An attorney for Pavlos-Hackney says her rights were violated during a contentious court hearing on March 19.

State regulators yanked Pavlos-Hackney's food license in January for serving indoor diners and breaking other rules related to COVID-19. But the restaurant, Marlena's Bistro and Pizzeria in Holland, stayed open in defiance. Pavlos-Hackney was arrested and spent four nights in jail until authorities were convinced that her restaurant would stay closed.

Credit: Ingham County

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