Wayman Newton
Wayman A. Newton (born c. 1980 in Birmingham) is an attorney and the Mayor of Tarrant, first elected in 2020 to the seat formerly held for four terms by Loxcil Tuck.
Newtwon grew up in Birmingham's Collegeville neighborhood. He graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts in 1998 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in political science at the University of Pennsylvania in 2002, and a juris doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2007. He was employed as a commercial real estate attorney with Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before returning to Alabama to open his own practice, Community Lawyers USA in 2010. He is also a real estate investor, specializing in rehabilitation and affordable housing.
Newton took 2/3rds of the vote in the 2020 mayoral election. On the day he took office on November 3, he confronted Tarrant Police Department chief Dennis Reno about his alleged practice of hiring only white police officers. The meeting escalated into a shouting match. Reno resigned from the position on January 1. In June 2021 Reno swore out a warrant accusing Newton of 3rd degree assault, claiming that he had slammed a door on his arm during the November argument. Newton surrendered and posted bail. He later posted security camera footage from Tarrant City Hall that appeared to undercut Reno's claims. Newton hired Wendell Major to take over the police department as its first Black chief.
In April 2021 Newton fired Jason Rickels, chief of the Tarrant Fire & Rescue Department, who had been charged with felony assault in Roswell, Georgia in January. The city conducted an independent review of the circumstances before Newton made the decision to terminate him.
Long-time Tarrant City Council member Tommy Bryant has accused Newton of harassing city employees and of trying to instigate a fight with him. Newton denies any such harassment, and stated that he did raise his voice after Bryant addressed him as "boy". Bryant used a racial slur during a Council meeting on July 20, and later claimed he was only repeating a phrase he had heard Newton use to describe fellow council member Veronica Freeman. Newton denied that accusation. In August Bryant swore out a warrant accusing Newton of misdemeanor "harassing communications", alleging that he had made a sexual threat against his wife on June 19. Newton posted bond and denied the allegation.
In May 2022 Newton was acquitted of the assault charge brought by Reno and of the harassment charge brought by Bryant during a bench trial before Judge Katrina Ross. In November 2022 Bryant was arrested for attacking Newton after a council meeting. The assault trial was held before Judge Katrina Ross in May 2023. Newton relieved Major of his duties as police chief on April 26, 2023, but that decision was reversed by the council on May 1.
Newton is married and has two daughters.
References
- Robinson, Carol (June 16, 2021) "Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton charged with assault of city’s former police chief." The Birmingham News
- Robinson, Carol (June 18, 2021) "Tarrant mayor releases videos after former police chief alleges assault." The Birmingham News
- Boryga, Andrew (June 27, 2021) "The Ugly War Between a White Police Chief and a Black Mayor in the Deep South" The Daily Beast
- Garrison, Greg (July 21, 2021) "Tarrant’s first Black mayor denies using ‘N-word’ about council member." The Birmingham News
- Robinson, Carol (August 6, 2021) "Veteran lawman named first Black police chief in Tarrant." The Birmingham News
- Robinson, Carol (August 19, 2021) "Tarrant mayor arrested for alleged sexual, harassing comments about councilman’s wife." The Birmingham News
- Robinson, Carol (May 4, 2022) "Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton acquitted on charges of assault, harassment of former police chief and city councilman." The Birmingham News
- Robinson, Carol & Howard Koplowitz (November 8, 2022) "Tarrant councilman Tommy Bryant jailed after Mayor Wayman Newton says he ‘sucker-punched’ him; police release video." AL.com
- Robinson, Carol (April 27, 2023) "Tarrant mayor puts police chief on administrative leave in latest city government controversy." AL.com
- Robinson, Carol (May 2, 2023) "Tarrant reinstates suspended police chief: Mayor says council members ‘do not like me .. It’s mutual’." AL.com
- Robinson, Carol (May 23, 2023) "Tarrant councilman on trial for punching mayor after vulgar remarks about his wife." AL.com
- Robinson, Carol (May 2, 2023) "Tarrant reinstates suspended police chief: Mayor says council members ‘do not like me .. It’s mutual’." AL.com
- Robinson, Carol (November 13, 2023) "Tarrant mayor again suspends police chief after I-59 shootout, toddler’s fatal overdose." AL.com
- Bryant, Joseph D. & Carol Robinson (November 17, 2023) "Discord rages in Jefferson County city with suspended police chief and ongoing lawsuits among leaders." AL.com