A reported settlement with CMPD Chief Jennings has drawn sharp criticism from the wife of former City Council member Tariq Bokhari.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Another Charlotte leader is responding to allegations of illegal and unethical behavior against Mayor Vi Lyles and city council members connected to a reported settlement with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings.
Council member Tiawana Brown, who represents District 3, issued a statement Thursday in response to a news conference involving Lyles and several council members.
“As a Council Member representing Charlotte’s District 3 and as someone with expertise in harm reduction and trauma-informed care, I watched the press conference with deep disappointment and disbelief,” Brown said. “The tone, the language, and the public nature of the response were not reflective of the values of restoration, equity, and dignity that we, as a body, should embody.”
RELATED: Organization representing hundreds of CMPD officers considers ‘no confidence’ vote against Jennings
Brown also recalled during the council’s retreat in Asheville that she was the only member who raised their hand when asked who had trust among their colleagues.
“I raised my hand — alone — because I believed in building trust,” Brown said. “That trust was damaged yesterday.”
In addition to Brown’s statement, a Facebook post from Kristia Keith Bokhari, the wife of former City Council member Tariq Bokhari, called for an ethics complaint against Charlotte City Attorney Anthony Fox. In a lengthy statement, Bokhari says the worst outcome that can come from a closed session leak is censure, not a criminal offense.
Bokhari claims the whistleblower who leaked info of a potential settlement with Jennings, doesn’t qualify for censureship because it doesn’t involve sharing a physical file or personnel content, like a performance review. Meanwhile, she said the text messages between Jennings and her husband don’t meet the legal standard for defamation, as they were private. She said any information he shared with the media was his opinion or believed to be factual.
Krista Bokhari then claimed Charlotte city leaders used “unethical, immoral and potentially illegal tactics” to “approve taxpayer dollars for their friend.”
For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts that impact you from WCNC Charlotte, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.
