Inglewood Mayor James Butts is denying allegations that he inappropriately touched a high school student while posing for a photo at a recent community event. Butts strongly denies the allegation and says it is part of a political “smear campaign” by rivals and local activists. He also says there is no documented complaint filed against him or anyone else in the city. The student and her family have not made any public statements about the incident, and the details of what happened remain unclear. The allegations were raised publicly by activists and political candidates, none of whom say they witnessed the alleged touching. Butts also says the controversy is connected to a larger political dispute involving the city and operators of its major entertainment venues. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has received a request to investigate the allegations, but no police report has been filed.
