A former Winona city alderwoman found guilty of assaulting a law enforcement officer during a board meeting has been sentenced to three years of house arrest.
Ward 3 Alderwoman Sylvia Clark was arrested on Tuesday, June 20, after she refused to leave following a heated exchange with Mayor Aaron Dees over remarks Clark made criticizing the park’s employees. Clark had previously taken exception with their handling of money, specifically revenue made from sports tournaments held in Winona.
RELATED: Aberdeen alderwoman watches from jail as challenger wins runoff
WONA-FM, a local radio station and SuperTalk Mississippi News affiliate, reported. at the time that the employees accused of mishandling funds defended themselves at the board meeting but were repeatedly interrupted and shouted over by Clark. After several failed attempts by Dees to calm Clark down, police officers were asked to remove her from the meeting. She did not comply before grabbing one of the officer’s testicles, which resulted in multiple charges being pressed against Clark.
In addition to the three years of house arrest, Clark was given two years of supervised probation. Her conviction resulted in her resignation on Monday. She was initially set to serve until 2025, meaning a special election will more than likely be called to fill the empty seat.
