Tense Situation as Online Feud Spills into Real Life at Crockett Council Meeting

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – When Crockett city council met Monday, Jan. 5, one of the core items on the agenda was whether or not to suspend live streaming of the meeting online, as several council members feared the broadcasts had become “embarrassing” to the city. See related story in today’s edition. 

The meeting proved those fears well-founded, as an incident during the public comments section led to profane shouting, the fear of potential violence, leading one councilman to leave the dais and a resident to be escorted out of the building.

Comments from the public overwhelmingly supported continuing the live broadcasts, with locals mainly arguing not everyone could attend the meetings, due to physical impairments or busy family schedules. Local resident James Dancer was called as one of those who had signed up to make a public comment.

Dancer had previously created a meme on social media mocking Precinct Five Councilman Mike Marsh after Marsh had initially proposed the city consider ending the livestream. Marsh had been defended by family members and others, and The Messenger also questioned if such harsh criticism of Marsh was warranted. 

Dancer approached the microphone and was seen with a knife strapped to his belt. While this is unusual behavior, Crockett City Hall is public property and Dancer was in his right to possess the weapon.

Dancer slammed his hands on the podium, yelling, “My name is James Dancer. I’m not (explicative deleted) fake, like your daughter said,” seemingly referring to an online post from Marsh’s daughter. 

After gasps from those in attendance and from Crockett Mayor Dr. Ianthia Fisher, Dancer continued, “I can say whatever I want. I’m making sure that I’m heard loud and (explicative deleted) clear.”

Fisher tried to ask Dancer not to use such language, but Dancer yelled back, “Actually, I can. It’s my first amendment right, ma’am.”

Appealing to Crockett Police Department (CPD) Chief Clayton Smith for verification, Smith nodded and Dancer continued.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that such speech, even with inappropriate language is protected during public meetings. 

“First of all, I’m calling your daughter out, because she called me an elderly abuser, which is the same as a (explicative deleted) pedophile. And ain’t true, (explicative deleted). That ain’t true. It ain’t true.”

It was not immediately clear what Dancer was referring to, although in his social media posts he has referred to struggling to care for his two elderly parents without help from other family members. Dancer’s father passed away last week. 

Saying he was calling Marsh out and calling him a coward, Marsh rose and came around to the audience section of the room, answering Dancer in unintelligible comments. At this point Smith and CPD Captain Ben Gates quickly moved forward, to both keep the men apart, and keep Dancer from approaching the other council members.

“Mike, what are you going to do? You going to beat my (explicative deleted)?” Dancer yelled.

Marsh said, “I will,” seeming to refer to an intention to defend himself, as he took no further motion toward Dancer.

Smith conferred with Fisher, who said Dancer was now creating a disturbance and asked CPD officers to remove him, which the two officers moved to get Dancer out of the room. 

“You just saw it. You just (explicative deleted) saw him threatening me and you’re not going to do anything,” Dancer screamed at police as they escorted him out of the room.

Dancer was not issued a citation or arrested for any reason, and in a later conversation with The Messenger, confirmed police had just done their job. One source later suggested Dancer may have had alcohol on his breath, although this could not be verified.

Many who saw an exclusive video posted by The Messenger on our social media pages praised both Fisher and Smith for handling the situation well, and showing extreme patience and tolerance in what could have become a more dangerous situation. 

Dancer later apologized for his language, although he doubled down on the spirit of what he said in an online post.

“I went too far with my words last night and made an (explicative deleted) of myself. It comes with the territory when facing both evil, and myself. I do not apologize for what I said, in spirit. I do however sincerely apologize for HOW I said it. I disrespected the City Council, as a whole, and for that, I was very wrong,” Dancer wrote.

As of press time, the video on our social media page had over 60,000 views, with a wide variety of comments, from calling out Dancers’ behavior, to defending his right to speak, to those just bemoaning the situation and the incident itself as embarrassing to the city.

Law enforcement sources were unable to confirm any charges pending against Dancer, although CPD was reviewing the incident. 

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]