Papers filed by supervisor claim ‘sovereign’ status

By John Howell Sr.

District Two Supervisor Vernice Black Avant said that documents that she has filed in the Chancery Clerk’s minute books declaring that she is a “freeborn Sovereign” are meant to distinguish her as an individual, distinct from a corporation.

“It means that I’m not a corporation; that’s all it means,” Avant said.

The District Two Supervisor had filed an 11-page “Affidavit of Truth” on December 16. The affidavit was followed by a 20-page “Commercial Security Agreement” on January 19 and a 14-page “Deed of Secondary Conveyance…” on February 7.

The affidavit cites participation in the use of bank accounts, Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, vehicle license plates and tax returns as “under duress.”

“I voluntarily choose to comply with the man-made laws which bring harmony to society,” the affidavit states, “but no such laws, nor their enforcers, have any authority over me. I am not in any jurisdiction, for I am not of subject status,” it continues.

A declaration in the document filed on February 7 states that, “Vernice-Black: Avant is not a United States Citizen, subject, vessel, or ‘person’ as defined in Title 26 United States Code, Section 7701 or elsewhere, or any other ens legis artificial person, individual, entity, fiction of law, procedural phantom or juristic personality …”

“That’s just a backup of not being a corporation; I’m declaring myself an individual,” Avant said. She said that she filed the affidavits “to protect myself from some things that could potentially come up, since my husband’s no longer here. It’s just some protection.”

Avant’s husband, the late Robert Avant, died in 2008 during his fifth term as District Two Supervisor. She was appointed, then elected to fill his unexpired term. She is seeking re-election to a full term this year.

Avant said that the documents are not connected to a so-called Sovereign citizen movement whose adherents have been associated with financial schemes and violence.

“Mine is just paperwork protection; it has nothing to do with being violent,” she said. “It’s just protection of my property; that’s what it is.”

The December 16 “affadavit of truth” is posted in its entirety on the Panolian Web site, www.panolian.com.