Gould Mayor Earnest Nash Jr. was arrested Tuesday afternoon on warrants accusing him of two counts of battery in the third degree stemming from a February altercation at City Hall involving an alderman and the city’s recorder-treasurer.
As he was being handcuffed, witnesses said, Nash threatened Pamela Barley-Gibson, the recorder-treasurer, as she drove past. Officers indicated the alleged threats resulted in a third charge, terroristic threatening, being lodged against Nash.
Nash was taken to the Lincoln County Jail at Star City and released after posting a $1,935 bond, including $1,480 on the assault charges, a sheriff’s department spokesman said.
The arrest occurred after two deputy sheriffs entered the front door of Gould City Hall and Nash left the building by another door, witnesses said. He was taken into custody a short distance away from the municipal building.
Barley-Gibson was appointed recorder-treasurer three different times by four members of the Gould City Council since December, but Nash vetoed each appointment.
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Aldermen Harry Hall, Sonja Farley, Roseanna Smith-Lee and Veronica Tensley have been feuding with Nash for months. They maintain Nash has locked Barley-Gibson out of her City Hall office.
Barley-Gibson and Hall contend they were assaulted by Nash when they went to city hall Feb. 15 with a locksmith to gain access to the recorder-treasurer’s office, filing an affidavit with the clerk of Lincoln County District Court seeking Nash’s arrest for assault.
Nash has repeatedly denied assaulting Hall and Barley-Gibson.
The mayor was ordered to report to Lincoln County District Court at Star City on May 17 to answer the terroristic threatening and assault charges.
Nash was charged March 29 with obstructing governmental operations, theft of property, abuse of office and two counts of nonfeasance in office, and was ordered to appear in Lincoln County Circuit Court at Star City on Thursday before Judge Robert H. “Rob” Wyatt Jr. to enter pleas to the four misdemeanor counts. He could be removed from office if convicted, according to Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Hunter.