MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Tensions escalated in Martinsville’s city government as Mayor L.C. Jones seeks an emergency protective order against City Councilman Aaron Rawls, following a confrontation at last week’s city council meeting.
The dispute centers around an ongoing investigation into former City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides. Rawls has pushed for making the investigation public, while Jones maintains it should remain with authorities.
In an interview, Jones said he feels physically threatened by Rawls, citing multiple instances of alleged threats. The mayor claims that during a recent incident involving Councilman Julian Mei, Rawls stated “If anybody runs up on Councilman Mei he was going to put him in the dirt.”
Rawls released a statement to 10 News, accusing the mayor of having “a pattern of violent outbursts.”
“Jones’ violent outbursts have become a documented pattern of behavior and will stop immediately. His actions are unacceptable anywhere and doubly so in Council chambers,” Rawls wrote. “I understand he’s lashing out from a place of failure, but he needs to grow up and take accountability for his actions.”
The councilman vowed to do what is needed to protect fellow councilors. “Going forward, I trust we can rely on our police to subdue violent members of Council so that I or others are not put in the terrible position of having to subdue them directly. I feel reassured after discussing last Thursday’s events with the police chief that they are aware of the situation and prepared to act.”
When questioned about allegations of physically intimidating other council members, Jones defended his behavior: “I think that there’s an unconscious bias to see individual who becomes passionate about something and see that as aggression.”
A court date has been set this month to decide on the protective order request.
“Councilman Rawls has continued to defame and slander my name, associate me with crimes by providing any evidence at all,” Jones said. “So, it’s nothing new, it’s not unusual.”
The mayor faces additional challenges as a recall petition gained enough signatures Tuesday to be filed.