Columbus Ward 4 Councilman Marty Turner has filed a simple assault complaint against Lowndes County District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks.
The police department confirmed that the complaint was filed Thursday.
Turner told The Dispatch on Friday that Brooks has “followed” and “threatened” him on several occasions.
“I’d say this has been going on for a year,” Turner said. “He’s always threatening me behind closed doors and in public meetings. So I wanted something to be on the record.”
He feels Brooks has used his elected position for intimidation.
“I think public office should be used to encourage people and to improve quality of life,” Turner added. “It shouldn’t be used to threaten. This isn’t personal for me. I’m doing this because I’m for the people.”
Brooks, when contacted by The Dispatch on Friday, said he was aware that Turner had filed complaint, yet he could not fathom the incidents to which it referred. He said he had never physically threatened or harmed Turner, and he could only think of one incident — during a Lowndes County Democratic Executive Committee meeting the two attended in February — that “could have been construed” as threatening. Even then, he said Turner would have taken it out of context.
“After the meeting, I told him I was going to kick his ass, but I meant in the election,” Brooks said. “Knowing Marty, though, he reaches for straws. …I don’t deal with (Turner) because he’s a loose cannon and he’s seeking publicity. He’s going to be trouble. He already is trouble.”
This comes less than a week after the county’s Democratic Executive Committee decided not to include Turner on the party’s Aug. 4 primary ballot for supervisor. Turner qualified to run against eight-term supervisor Brooks. However, the DEC sided on Tuesday with a complaint Brooks filed questioning whether Turner lived in District 5. Turner has appealed that decision in Lowndes County Circuit Court.
Brooks did tell The Dispatch in a previous interview, as well as the DEC during Turner’s residency hearing, that he had followed Turner at least once to see where he lived. He claims Turner actually lives with his girlfriend and campaign manager in District 4.
No warrant has been issued for Brooks’ arrest. If CPD does issue an arrest warrant, Brooks said he would turn himself in and submit to the proper legal process. He maintains, however, he’s done nothing illegal.
“I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop,” he said. “I’ve been at this game for 32 years and I’ve never seen anything like this.”
CPD did not release the report to The Dispatch on Friday. Access would require an open records request when police administrative offices reopened Monday morning, according to city authorities.
Democrat Ricky Hill Sr. has also qualified to face Brooks in the Democratic primary. No Republicans qualified to run for the seat.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 45 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.