Feisty 79-year-old woman thrown in jail after testy exchange at city council meeting: 'The mayor is being corrupt'

A city accountant in Alabama pressed charges against a nearly 80-year-old woman after the woman lightly touched her arm and told her to "turn around" during a heated city council meeting.

On December 4, 79-year-old Novilee Williams exercised her right to speak out against what she sees as corruption in her hometown of Tarrant, Alabama, a city of about 6,100 residents just a few miles north of Birmingham. During a public comment portion of a city council meeting, Williams accused Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton of corruption.

"I believe the mayor is being corrupt," Williams said from her seat in the gallery. "I believe the mayor needs to be charged for something. Something’s got to be done with this man."

Williams was apparently referencing ongoing tensions between Mayor Newton, the city council, and Police Chief Wendell Major. Last month, Newton suspended Major for the second time this year. As they did back in April, members of the city council responded by voting to override the mayor's order and reinstate the police chief. The issue now seems to be in the hands of the courts.

But at least one city employee appears to support Mayor Newton. Shayla Myricks, a city accountant who sat in front of Williams during the city council meeting, took issue with some of Williams' accusations.

Video footage of the meeting shows Myricks periodically turn her head and mutter inaudible comments in Newton's defense. At one point, Williams attempts to dismiss Myricks' interference by swatting in Myricks' direction, telling her, "Turn around, honey."

About a minute later, at about the 1:46 mark, Myricks turns around to interrupt Williams again. Williams then appears to lose her patience with Myricks. She reaches over, lightly grasps Myricks' arm, and gently pushes it away. "Don’t put your hands on me, ma’am," Myricks demands quietly.

"Well, you stop talking to me," Williams demands in return.

At other points in the video, Williams states, "If we can’t beat him one way, we’ll beat him at the ballot box." Someone off camera, perhaps a member of the city council, also advises her to contact the state attorney general regarding Newton. At the end of the video, which coincides with the end of the meeting, a police officer asks Williams for her identification, and she complies.

Incident at Tarrant city council meeting leads to elderly woman’s arrestyoutu.be

Though the contact between the two women seems rather unremarkable, Myricks insisted on pressing charges. The complaint claimed that Williams "did, without lawful authority, direct Myricks to turn around" and "did shove Myricks, by making physical contact, in an attempt to force her to do so."

The day after the meeting, officers arrived at Williams' house, placed her under arrest, and took her to jail. She was charged with disorderly conduct and harassment.

Mayor Newton, who was not present during the incident, indicated he had nothing to with Williams' arrest while also insisting her actions crossed the line. "I wasn’t there, and she was arrested when she put her hands on the city accountant," Newton said. "It was the city accountant who wanted to press charges against her. I didn’t even know that it had happened until people started calling me."

"But you can’t go putting your hands on people."

Myricks did not respond to requests for comment from the New York Post, AP, or AL.com.

Williams told reporters that she has retained an attorney but harbors no ill will against Newton or Myricks. "Everything is well, and I don’t have a grudge against Wayman and that young lady," she told AL.com. "I pray for them."

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