[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 08/20/20]
MASCOTTE, Florida — The Mascotte city manager, apparently upset his contract was not reinstated Wednesday, battered a female city council member at a city council meeting and called her a “white trash c*** (expletive,)” according to an arrest affidavit.
Mascotte Police responded to the Mascotte Civic Center, 121 North Sunset Avenue, at the request of an MPD lieutenant in reference to a disturbance between James “Jim” Patrick Gleason and multiple parties.
Gleason, 62, was outside when police arrived and an argument had already begun, the affidavit states and he was “visibly upset over a decision to not reinstate his employment with the City of Mascotte,” according to the affidavit. He directed his anger towards Councilwoman Brenda Basher and “began threatening her verbally and called her a ‘white trash c***’ while poking her in the shoulder in an aggressive manner,” the arresting officer noted in the affidavit. He also “chest bumped” her while screaming profanities at her, the officer noted.
Basher’s husband, Mascotte Fire Chief Randy Brasher, stepped in to protect his wife and multiple citizens pulled the Brashers back into the civic center for safety, according to the affidavit, and Gleason walked forward “as if to charge into the civic center while screaming profanities and threatening to go to the victim’s house,” the affidavit states.
“They (the Bashers) were both out of sorts,” Mascotte Mayor Mike Sykes told Lake Legal News. “It was an emotional evening.”
Gleason “had to be removed in order to prevent him from reentering the civic center to engage the fire chief and the victim,” and Brenda Basher was visibly shaken and in pain due to the battery and expressed her wish to prosecute, the affidavit states.
Sykes told LLN Friday afternoon that Gleason was already on his way out due to “past issues” and his contract was scheduled to end Oct. 1. At Wednesday’s meeting it was confirmed his contract would still end Oct. 1 and, “he reacted very emotionally,” Sykes said.
No one spoke up at the meeting in favor of Gleason and terminating his contract was the right decision. “The city manager works for us (the council,)” Sykes said, “We work for the people.”
The city had an emergency meeting Thursday night and appointed Dolly Miller as the acting city manager by unanimous vote; Gleason is suspended with pay. “We want to be fair,” Sykes said
More than 60 people attended the meeting by Zoom, Sykes said.
Sykes said he commends the hard work by MPD, including gathering evidence, witness statements and securing an arrest warrant. “I can imagine that took a lot of effort,” he told LLN.
Gleason left the scene the night of the incident but was arrested by Clermont Police Department Thursday. He was charged with one count of battery on a public official and disorderly conduct. He was released from the Lake County Jail on $2,500 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
