LOS ANGELES, CA – Community activists are calling for Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts to resign after an allegation that he inappropriately touched a high school student while posing for a photograph at a City Hall community event.
The allegation centers on an event held Tuesday, Sept. 15, where members of a local high school cheerleading group were photographed with the mayor. Activists allege that Butts touched one of the students on the buttocks while the group was posing for the picture.
The allegation has not been established through a police investigation or criminal case. The student’s family has not filed a police report, according to the information publicly available as of Sept. 20.
Butts remains mayor of Inglewood. The City of Inglewood’s official biography says he has held the office since 2011, and the city’s current staff directory continues to list him as mayor.
Activists demand resignation
A group of activists held a news conference calling for Butts to step down.
Yolanda Davidson, an Inglewood resident and activist, said residents were demanding the mayor’s immediate resignation. Earl Ofari Hutchinson said allegations involving sexual misconduct should be taken seriously, while activist Najee Ali said the group believed the alleged contact occurred.
Those statements represent the activists’ positions and do not establish that the alleged conduct occurred.
Leonard Redway, an Inglewood commissioner who attended the event, said he did not see the alleged contact itself. He said he observed a commotion afterward and saw a girl who appeared upset.
Redway said he contacted the girl’s father after the incident.
Mayor’s office denies inappropriate touching
The mayor’s office has since disputed the allegation.
According to a statement attributed to Butts’ office, members of the Inglewood High School cheerleading squad asked the mayor to participate in a group photograph. The statement said Butts stood at the edge of the group, with one hand resting on the outside shoulder of the cheerleader in front of him while his other hand was behind the group and holding two items.
The office said there was no sexual touching, groping, assault or other inappropriate conduct.
That denial directly conflicts with the allegation being advanced by activists. No independent finding has established which account is accurate.
Late-night visit adds another point of dispute
The controversy also includes a late-night encounter that Redway said occurred after the event.
Redway said he learned that Butts was traveling to the girl’s family’s home to apologize personally after an earlier attempt to apologize by telephone was rejected.
Redway recorded cellphone video at about 10:34 p.m. that appears to show Butts standing in a residential street and speaking with several people.
The purpose and circumstances of that encounter have not been independently established beyond the accounts provided by people involved in or discussing the incident.
Redway has characterized the visit as evidence that something significant had occurred, while the mayor’s office has denied that Butts engaged in inappropriate conduct.
No police report filed
One of the central unresolved questions is whether the alleged incident will result in a formal law-enforcement investigation.
The girl’s family has not filed a police report, with activists saying the family is seeking to protect the student’s identity.
That means there is currently no publicly documented criminal charge against Butts arising from the allegation.
The absence of a police report does not itself establish whether the alleged contact occurred. It simply means that, based on the information currently available, the allegation has not resulted in a publicly announced criminal case.
The Inglewood Police Department’s official city resources provide information for residents seeking police services and reporting options.
Butts remains mayor as political pressure grows
The controversy comes as Butts remains an active elected official in a city where the mayor is chosen directly by Inglewood voters.
The city’s election rules state that mayoral elections are held every other even-numbered year and that the mayor is elected citywide for a four-year term. The City Clerk’s election information identifies the municipal process and election responsibilities.
Butts was first sworn in as mayor on Feb. 1, 2011, according to the city. His official biography says he was subsequently reelected in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
The current dispute is therefore taking place within an ongoing political context, but the allegation itself remains unresolved.
Activists have called for his resignation, while the mayor’s office has denied the alleged misconduct. At this point, there has been no publicly announced resignation, criminal charge or official finding establishing that Butts sexually assaulted or groped the student.
Support available for sexual-assault survivors
The allegation involves a minor, and the student’s identity has not been publicly disclosed.
Anyone who has experienced sexual assault or unwanted sexual contact can seek confidential assistance. RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline provides free, confidential, 24/7 support at 800-656-HOPE (4673), as well as online chat and text support.
For now, the central facts remain unresolved: activists are demanding Butts’ resignation over an allegation involving a high school student; a city commissioner says he witnessed the aftermath but not the alleged touching; the mayor’s office denies inappropriate contact; and no police report or criminal charge has been publicly announced.
