Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts is in hot water after being accused of groping a teenager during a photo opportunity at a community event on Tuesday. This incident has sparked calls from residents and activists urging him to step down, though Butts’ office has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
This isn’t the first time Butts has faced serious allegations. He has previously managed to deflect a variety of claims, including a 1993 criminal referral involving accusations of molesting his daughter. At the time, his estranged wife, police sergeant Minnie Butts, claimed their daughter told her that Butts had “touched and penetrated” her. Minnie also accused him of choking her in 1991, but Butts has consistently denied these allegations.
Local prosecutors refused to pursue charges against him in that 1993 case, citing a lack of evidence. After retiring from law enforcement in 2006 and spending some time as the head of security at LAX, Butts was elected as Inglewood’s mayor in 2011, riding promises to tackle the city’s financial woes.
“The city is in a precarious financial position,” Butts stated before taking office, emphasizing the need for a leader with operational and public safety experience rather than just a typical politician.
One of Butts’ first controversial decisions as mayor was awarding a $100 million contract to a waste management firm that had hired his brother shortly beforehand — a move that eventually resulted in personal financial benefits for him, according to later reports.
During his tenure, Butts was also involved in a scandalous relationship with a city employee, Melanie McDade-Dickens. She started as a volunteer on his campaign in 2010 and later became his executive assistant after he won the election. Reports suggest that their relationship deteriorated when he allegedly started demanding inappropriate favors from her, such as doing his laundry and massaging his feet multiple times a day.
In 2021, she filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against him, where she claimed she faced retaliation and ultimately, dismissal at the end of 2019. Despite the years of positive evaluations, she felt her work was undermined as their relationship soured.
Text messages from McDade-Dickens’ Facebook account indicated a deep emotional turmoil on his part, with one message expressing distress over her perceived coldness and a move to another city. The lawsuit included claims of Butts becoming obsessively possessive, allegedly stalking her after she tried to end their relationship.
The case was dismissed in November of the previous year after McDade-Dickens did not respond to a motion for summary judgment. A city attorney characterized her claims as frivolous from the outset, noting that she had sought an extension for the hearing due to personal issues.
Butts has faced additional scrutiny over his treatment of Wanda Brown, Inglewood’s former treasurer, after she publicly confronted the mayor about city financial issues. Following her comments, he reportedly took steps to silence her during city meetings and drastically reduced her salary.
The California Supreme Court ultimately ruled against Brown, deciding she could not claim retaliation protections because she was an elected official, not a state employee.
So far, Mayor Butts has not specifically addressed the latest allegations against him. In a previous instance regarding the controversies surrounding his leadership, he summarized his position succinctly, stating, “The only thing that’s controversial about me is that I get (expletive) done.”
As the situation develops, many are waiting to see how Butts will respond to this newest wave of accusations.
