Mayor Diane Delaware admits that a conversation occurred between her and Ward 4 Alderman Aubry Brent Jr. after a heated executive session earlier this week.
But Delaware said it was Brent who was the aggressor during the altercation in the parking lot of the police department Monday afternoon.
Delaware contacted The Yazoo Herald after an article appeared in the Wednesday edition. Brent told The Herald that the mayor stormed his truck “like she was going to attack.”
“He is unethical, and he is lying,” Delaware said.
Brent said Delaware took issue with him because of the way he voted on several issues during executive session.
Delaware said she did follow Brent to his truck following the meeting.
“He jumped from the truck and lunged toward me stating that I did not know who I was (expletive) with,” Delaware said, in a statement to The Herald.
Delaware said she then told Brent to remove himself from her personal space.
“He moved forward again aggressively screaming at me,” she continued. “He did it again threatening me with bodily harm. I did not move and again told him that he must get out of my personal space.”
Delaware said Brent is a “liar” and a “snake.”
“The story he told is a lie, and if not then he is uninformed, does not listen and makes up fairy tales,” Delaware said.
Delaware said she sent Brent a personal email after the confrontation to tell him that his behavior was unacceptable.
“(His) behavior was abusive, threatening, aggressive,” she said. “I felt that it was meant to make me believe he would intentionally harm me.”
The executive session following Monday’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting made headlines this week after the council voted to suspend Police Chief Jeff Curtis for three days without pay and required him to attend a conflict resolution class.
Curtis said the first time he heard of the board’s action was when he was contacted by The Yazoo Herald Tuesday morning.
Curtis told The Herald he felt the board’s action stemmed from him not sharing police information with a city alderman upon his request.
But Delaware said Curtis was aware of how the board was going to vote.
“During executive session, I stepped out of the room/meeting at which time I informed Chief Curtis of the three-day suspension,” she said. “He said he had a class this week and asked me if he could take the three days next week. I said yes.”
Delaware said she also informed Curtis that he would have to go to a class and that she would contact him about it the next day.
“I suggested to go on home and told him all would be well,” Delaware said. “He then informed me that he had an item for executive session and asked me if I could do it. I suggested it would be best that he present the item. He did along with another item.”
Delaware said Curtis then left and executive session continued.
Later on, the confrontation between Delaware and Brent occurred in the police department parking lot.
