St. Petersburg chief assistant city attorney accused of making racist comments

ST. PETERSBURG -- Three antiwar protesters alleged Monday that Chief Assistant Attorney Mark Winn made racist comments about black teenagers at BayWalk while off duty last month.  

The accusation was made during a last-minute press conference Monday night, just days before the City Council is scheduled to vote on a plan that would turn over some of the public sidewalks around BayWalk to the venue’s private, for-profit owners. The plan would eliminate the public's right to hold protests at the struggling entertainment complex.

The Rev. Bruce Wright said Winn told him he did not feel comfortable going to BayWalk because he did not want to "hang with the bros." 

"He also used the words 'thugs' and 'loiterers,' " said Wright, director of the Refuge Ministries and a frequent critic of City Hall. "The statements that he made could be interpreted in no other way."

Wright alleged Winn said many residents preferred to go to the Regal movie theater in Pinellas Park on U.S. 19. Wright, 48, said he told Winn that teenagers also went to that movie theater.

Winn allegedly told Wright, "There is a vast difference between the young people at Pinellas Park and BayWalk."

Wright said the majority of young people at BayWalk are black and the majority of teenagers at Pinellas Park are white, so he inferred that to mean that Winn did not want to be around black teenagers.

"That's just the reality," Wright said.

Winn is white.

Kathleen Mannion, 45, and Jeanie Toth, 44, also said they heard Winn make these comments.

Wright, Mannion and Toth are all white. They are members of St. Pete for Peace, an informal organization that held weekly protests against the war in Iraq at BayWalk until this year.

Asked why they were coming forward with the allegation on the same week the council will vote to vacate the sidewalks near BayWalk, Chris Ernesto, a St. Pete for Peace organizer, said Winn's comments reflect City Hall's true opinion of the crowds at BayWalk.

"They believe that young black people are the cause of the demise of BayWalk," said Ernesto, who said he did not hear Winn make the alleged comments.

Instead, Ernesto said, BayWalk's struggles can be linked to the recession, not protesters or teenagers. Therefore, public sidewalks should not be turned over to a private property owner because doing so will not help BayWalk.  

Winn confirmed that he ran into the group at Cafe Bohemia at 937 Central Ave. last month, but denied that he made any racial comments.

"That's not true. I didn't say those things," he said.

The group was casually talking about BayWalk before a movie screening in the popular coffee house's courtyard because Mayor Rick Baker had just unveiled his plan to revive the half-empty downtown landmark. 

"I just said some people were not comfortable going down there. I expressed that I did not really feel comfortable going down there Friday or Saturday nights," said Winn. "I didn't say anything about bros or thugs."

Winn said he did provide an explanation for his discomfort.

"I said I didn't like to walk past the protesters. They were not always, but sometimes, loud," he said.

What's more, Winn said he has not been to the movie theater in Pinellas Park in at least four years.

The City Council will vote Thursday morning on the BayWalk plan.

Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer

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Comments

[Pinellas GOP posts inflammatory photo of Barack Obama in "whiteface"]

Exclusive: Pinellas GOP posts inflammatory photo of Barack Obama in "white face":

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[Pinellas Dems FAIL]

When I saw the word "anti-war" protester I knew this was just another liberal wacko.

...Next...

[awhitewolf]

...and gang members and crack dealers also can be found at baywalk on friday and saturday night...as well as the rest of the nights...not quite the kind of place you would take a woman out on a date or take your family to see a movie...facts are facts...

[Brudy]

First, Baywalk would have never happened, if it had not been subsidized by city government. OK
So, lets mix up the project. A multiplex for the kids. A disco bar for young yuppies. Middle end restaurants and above average retail for all the people who are moving into the new condos on Beach Dr.

Very thin ice, indeed.

The protesters were good for all of us because they pointed out the insanity of the Bush foreign policy which is still getting our troops killed, even as the Obama administration tackles the problem.

Don't blame the protesters, and don't blame the nearly out of control kids. The kids could have been policed, and the protesters were not a threat.

No, the incongruities of the subsidized development finally caught up with the whole plan.

Do you see Sam's selling donuts? Do you see Dunkin Donuts selling ladders?
No.

If there had been no subsidy, Baywalk would not have happened at all.

Don't blame the people for the failures of private ventures subsidized by government.

[Brudy]

Also, about Winn himself. A colorful character, who, out on the sidewalk in front of city hall immediately after the passage of the new noise ordinance, said, when asked by myself as to whether music itself was noise, said that indeed "music is noise".

I was instantly endeared. Personally, I wouldn't be too worried about what Winn says, but about what his bosses decide is appropriate:

We are in the thick of the mayoral race, and plenty of people are looking for scapegoats upon whom the failure of Baywalk can be blamed.

The knee jerk easy move is to side step the First Amendment by ceding public right of way to a private entity.

Let us hope the candidates who jump on that particular cheap shot bandwagon are recognized by the voters as being the same people who thought George W. Bush could do no wrong. Let those candidates suffer the same result the rest of the right wing endured last November, which is permanent retirement from politics.

[Cliff Gephart]

Protest or Not Allowed to Protest that is the Question

First I must say that I believe that we as Americans have a right to protest against things we aren't happy with and have our voices heard. That being said, do those rights extend into areas where private enterprise are trying to earn a profit and are not the target of the protestors?

Suppose the protestors are not the cause for the demise of Baywalk, but also suppose that one family stayed away from the complex because they were not comfortable with the happenings; would it be fair to the merchants who would have earned those dollars to suffer from anothers actions? Many companies, families and individuals invested large sums of money into their businesses in Baywalk and employed lots of people. Shouldn't their rights be addressed and of concern.

My point is this; that the protestors who were opposed to many different government actions chose not to protest in front of a government building (i.e. city hall) rather they chose to disrupt a private enterprise for their cause. Don't the rights of an American cease when they begin to infringe on anothers?

Although the actions were legal and the protestors were within their rights, was this right.

No matter how we got here or who is to blame, we as a community need to support our downtown growth and development which includes Baywalk. I lived in downtown in the mid 90's and our downtown is much better off today and so are we as citizens of St. Petersburg.

Lets all go to a movie at Baywalk this weekend and maybe before grab some dinner there also.

Cliff Gephart

[Just wondering]

Is that the same Mark Winn who has been busted twice for DUI? Dude drinks like a fish, still...

Man, being a racist and a drunk is un-cool.

[Jimmy]

here's a video of the story:
http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=110854&catid=8&provider=email

[Reality Bites]

I can not believe this silly stuff about Mark. He is a good guy. If he said any of those things ( which he probably didn't ) He wouldn't have meant them racially. Mark is a fair honest guy. And no one can say there are not protesting of many kinds disrupting the success of Bay Walk.

[Sad but true]

Hey 'Reality Bites', rename yourself 'In Denial'.

Saying 'hangin with bros' is racial. Same with 'jiving'.

Reality bites, deal with it. Not only is your friend Mark Winn making racist statements, he's not an "honest" guy if he can't live up to the remarks he made.

[ed St. Pete]

Mark Winn should not be the issue. The fact is that out of control teenagers made Baywalk a place where most of us feel very uncomfortable. Black and white kids were equally roudy. The issue is Baker and his south side pandering polices would not let Chief Harmon deal with the problem. More worried about how enforcing the law would "look" Baker took the low road. Screaming protesters just topped off the problem.

Its time to face reality. Baywalk is finished. Sembler knew it, he bailed out. Let's not let Baker throw any more public money at his failed legacy.

Giving the sidewalk to the Baywalk owners is just not right. Restriction of peoples rights is not the formula for retail success. I believe the protesters will be out in force accross the street, down the block or where ever they can be to assure Baywalk fails under this policy. Perhaps they should be.

Every now and then someone tells it like it is and you ususally suffer for it. Mark Winn is just the latest victum/target for those who can't manage their kids, don't know which kids are theirs, figure out drugs are bad, talk so you can understand them and wear their pants down to their knees. It is always easier to blame someone else than solve your problems. Rev Wright would be better served working with black youth to solve these problems. But that would probably not get any headlines.

[RUNinja]

He denies it, so he didn't say it? 4 people said he did. If he is so against this group of people why was he frequenting their gatherings? I can assume he was trying to "make nice", get the scoop on what they were planning, and to let them know it wasn't them he was against, it was "the bros....and to slam some beer!

[RUNinja]

Christina,You cannot seem to wrap your head around the notion that some white people, will and do stand up against racist comment. Maybe you should check out some of the events and some of the other things that the Peace groups have been standing up for and promoting?

[John]

Was Winn drunk again? When are the taxpayers getting our %20,000,000.00 back for BATWALK? Sembler and Baker from the Baker crime family raped the residents of St. Petersburg.

[True Blue]

Brudy, did Wagman give you permission to take a break? You're suppose to earn your $5.00 by only blogging for Scott - not going off the range on Baywalk.

[shuturyap]

If Winn made these comments, I would assume he would be punished. But, it is only hearsay. If Winn is punished on "hearsay", imagine how many people are going to get fired for the sign in front of Fire Station no. 8 at 4701 MLK St. S that says "LAKE MAGGIORE NEIGHBROHOOD" that the city produced and installed.
And yes bro, it says "neighBROhood".
Fill out your application for the city now if you can run a circular saw, router, paint brush, nail gun, screw gun, or post hole digger.

Wonder how much it cost to produce and install this sign?

[A society of litigious idiots]

As a white man who often refers to my male siblings and friends as “bros” or “brothas”… I was not aware that the black community owned those words too. As Caucasians, we’re already discriminated against because we, as Caucasians, are not allowed to use the “N” word, but folks within the black community are free to use in whenever and wherever they choose. It appears that it’s only offensive if a “white” person uses it... which ironically, is an act of racism against the white community.

In the interest of resolution, I would respectfully request that the self-proclaimed leaders of the black community please release to the public at-large, a complete list of words that the black community finds offensive. In turn, the white community can release its list, the Asian community theirs, and so on. Then we can remove all of these words from the English dictionary and ban their use in any way shape of form.

I can’t wait to order an “African American” Angus Burger.

[iamninja]

Hearsay? Four people heard the city attorney make racist comments about African American youth at Baywalk. This isn't hearsay. This is a public display of racism. Now I am wondering how Mark Winn secured his position as city attorney. Does his racism reflect the beliefs and attitudes of others in the St. Petersburg government? And here I was thinking that city officials were just against the protesters speaking truth to power. Now I realize they are against anyone who doesn't fit their idea of the average American. If you aren't white skinned, well dressed and ready to spend a lot of money on frivolous trinkets at BayWalk, you aren't welcome.

[Dina]

Thats funny, he "ran into the group" at Cafe Bohemia. I did not know you could casually "run into" a group of individuals at a business at the same time/place for 3 weeks in a row. And then sit down and have a beer and chit chat. That does not necessarily sound like running into to me.

[Pinellas GOP posts inflammatory photo of Barack Obama]

Pinellas GOP posts inflammatory photo of Barack Obama in "white face":

http://bit.ly/PD2bv

[brothaman]

Are you malleable morons actually professing that using the common slang word “bros” is racist?

Let me get this straight... “YOU” think it’s a racist term because “YOU” associate the word “bros” with black people… hmmmmm… I wonder who the real racists are in this mix.

[shuturyap]

yes, it is hearsay. Let me define it for you-
The theory of the rule excluding hearsay is that assertions made by human beings are often unreliable; such statements are often insincere, subject to flaws in memory and perception, or infected with errors in narration at the time they are given. The law therefore finds it necessary to subject this form of evidence to “scrutiny or analysis calculated to discover and expose in detail its possible weaknesses, and thus to enable the tribunal (judge or jury) to estimate it at no more than its actual value”.

[RUNinja]

brothaman,and society of ligit idiots. Keep this in context. So when he said, "he didn't like hanging with the bro's" He was saying he didn't like hanging out with his caucasian friends? He made the statement to white people, with the assumption that it is ok to talk like this to other whites. Well we all know what happens when you ASSUME.

[brothaman]

RUNinja,

Your “assumption” that because he’s a white man, your presumption that there were no black people within hearing distance, and your supposition as to the “context” of his statements – brings you to conclude that his statement a racial one “because he’s white” – is exactly my point. The racist in the scenario is you.

If you folks would spend this much time and energy trying to defeat real racial issues, as you do exploiting the race card for personal and/or political gain… we might actually see some progress. But I suspect there would be no publicity and money in that, huh…

[Eileen]

Don't you people realize every time you pull the race card it make race relations worse. Nothing racist about what he said. Don't be stupid !