MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio — A dispute between two Maple Heights City Council members has led to dueling police reports following an incident during a recent council meeting.
It is not unusual for sessions to become intense, but accusations of verbal and physical abuse this week have escalated tensions further.
Complaint during council meeting
During the April 1 meeting, Councilwoman Shirley Merritt raised concerns about an interaction she had with fellow Councilwoman Tina Stafford-Marbury at the previous meeting on March 18. The incident occurred as council members gathered for a group photo.
“The photographer asked us to move in to each other so she could take the picture,” Merritt explained. “I felt someone push me in my back, and I thought nothing of it. I got pushed harder the second time. I turned around and I had Councilwoman Tina Stafford-Marbury behind me.”…