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Subscribe to RSSAs Kansas Mayor Sly James was delivering the State of the City address Tuesday, a man later identified as Derron Black, 31, came up on stage, knocked over a flag, took the mayor's microphone and began cursing.
A day after he walked out of a Kansas City, Mo., jail cell, the man who disrupted a speech by Mayor Sly James earlier this week said Thursday he's running for mayor himself.
Derron Black, 31, jumped onto the podium Tuesday during James' annual State of the City address, then knocked over a flag, took the microphone and began an obscenity-laced complaint about neglect of the city's poorer neighborhoods.
James' security detail wrestled Black off the stage after a few seconds.
Black — who lost a race for the state House last year — was charged Wednesday with third-degree assault on a law enforcement officer and obstructing government operations. He posted bond and was released.
And Black's 2015 campaign kickoff Thursday was even more chaotic than his debut on the national stage had been Tuesday.
He called an afternoon news conference at which his advisers said he would announce his candidacy. But when reporters showed up, Black said he hadn't actually made a final decision, NBC station KSHB of Kansas City reported.
Black did, however, apologize to the bodyguard who tackled him Tuesday and ended up with cuts and bruises for his efforts. And he acknowledged that "getting frustrated like that and having an outburst is definitely not something that's appropriate," The Kansas City Star reported.
Then, as reporters pressed him with questions about his political intentions, Black's advisers began shooing them away from the press conference they themselves had organized.
Later Thursday, in a second news conference, Black finally took the mayoral leap, telling reporters that he would, indeed, run in 2015.
He said he became serious about the race while he was in jail after Tuesday's incident.
"Will it come back to hurt me? I hope not," he said.
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Was this a publicity stunt for his mayoral bid? If it was it was a terrible one! It lacked class, intelligence, foresight, shrewd strategizing and savvy...all of which are important to be a Mayor. But I'll give him credit for "raw ugly politics"...getting cruder and rawer by the minute!
It worked in Detroit for Kwame Kilpatrick ... Twice!
WOW... Kind of reinforces my theory that we need more black politicians in Washington.
Well, he's definitely got the public's attention. Now if he could improve his agenda away from physical violence, cussing and complaining about the facts, he might have something.
I love how that fat white police officer calmly walks across the stage while the two other security men wrestle with the man into and behind the curtains. Are all police officers in this city overweight and slow moving like this whale ? I would hate to think if someone's life is at stake and every second counts then with this guy you are pretty much done in for. He may want to think of a new career that would allow him to move at a snails pace and a career where being a slow moving coward won't be a factor.
cant be worse than most people we have in politics
if they are 2 dumb and violent let them starve. I am tired of paying for felons and other people who can't not take care of themselfs because they are to lazy. I earned my dam money Repukes want felons let them start their dam civil war. This time lets not bail their asses out! burn the KKK to the ground!