*Inglewood (CA) Mayor James T. Butts Jr. is facing calls to resign after community leaders raised an allegation that he inappropriately touched a female high school student during VOTECHELLA, the city’s youth-focused voter engagement event.
The allegation has not been proven, and EURweb has not independently verified that the alleged contact occurred.
A coalition led by community activist Yolanda Davidson plans a press conference Thursday, (09-17-26), at 11am outside Inglewood City Hall.
Its media advisory calls for an independent investigation, preservation of relevant recordings and records, protection for witnesses and Butts’ immediate resignation.
“This is a demand for leadership accountability, not a declaration of criminal guilt,” Davidson said in the advisory.
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Leonard Redway Says He Spoke with Student’s Father
Inglewood Commissioner Leonard Redway offered more detailed allegations in a Facebook video (scroll down to watch), saying he received phone calls claiming the mayor had inappropriately touched a student “during a photo.”
Redway said he then called the student’s father “just as a dad” to ask what the family needed.
According to Redway’s account, the father wanted to speak with Butts face-to-face. Redway later claimed he learned that people were “working behind the scenes to cover this shit up” and said the father told him Butts was expected to visit him in person.
EURweb has not independently verified Redway’s account of his conversation with the father, his allegation of a cover-up or his claim that Butts planned to meet with the family.
Redway, who is also running for Inglewood City Council District 1 in the Nov. 3 election, is identified in the coalition’s advisory as an Inglewood commissioner. The city’s website lists him as a District 1 member of its Construction Appeals Board.
In his more restrained statement for the advisory, Redway said, “When the safety and well-being of a child is involved, there should be no hesitation, no special treatment, and no looking the other way.”
VOTECHELLA Was Built Around Youth and Voting
The allegation centers on VOTECHELLA, a city voter-registration initiative held at Inglewood City Hall.
Pace News reported that City Clerk Aisha L. Thompson, Butts and other officials were participating in the 2026 event, designed to combine entertainment with voter education and registration.
Community activist Marvin McCoy has separately called for Butts to suspend his mayoral campaign and for authorities to investigate. In a social media statement provided to EURweb, McCoy stressed that the accusation “should remain an allegation—not a proven fact” until the facts are established.
Previous Allegations Against Butts
The coalition is also invoking previous allegations involving Butts, although those separate matters do not establish whether the current allegation is true.
In 1993, the Los Angeles Times reported that Butts’ then-wife accused him of sexually abusing their young daughter. Butts denied the allegation.
The Los Angeles County district attorney subsequently declined to file molestation charges, citing insufficient evidence to prove the allegations in court, the Times reported.
More recently, former Inglewood executive assistant Melanie McDade-Dickens accused Butts of harassment, abusive conduct and retaliation following what she described as a consensual romantic relationship.
Butts, through an attorney representing the city, categorically denied harassment and retaliation allegations, according to the Los Angeles Times.
EURweb reported on McDade-Dickens’ allegations in 2020 and subsequent litigation.
The immediate question now is what evidence exists concerning the VOTECHELLA allegation. The coalition wants any video, photographs, communications and other records preserved and reviewed.
As of publication, EURweb had not independently located a public response from Butts or the City of Inglewood addressing this specific allegation.
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