LYNWOOD : Councilman, 2 Others Cited in City Hall Scuffle

A local pastor, a city employee and City Councilman Robert Henning have been cited by Sheriff’s Department deputies following a scuffle in the City Hall parking lot.

Henning said the Rev. Charles Floyd attacked him in the lot after a tense planning commission meeting. The councilman said Floyd knocked a cigarette out of his mouth and yanked his tie, and that Isadore Hall, a city administrative assistant, had to intervene.

Floyd said he was walking with Henning, lost his balance and reached toward Henning. The councilman then grabbed Floyd’s arms and Hall locked the pastor in a bearhug and threatened to beat him up, Floyd said.

Hall supported Henning’s version of the incident.

Henning called sheriff’s deputies, who issued misdemeanor battery citations against Floyd, Henning and Hall, based on their accounts of what happened. Bystanders gave conflicting accounts, according to a deputy district attorney.

An informal hearing at the district attorney’s office in Compton has been set for May 5 to interview the participants and witnesses and attempt to resolve the dispute out of court.

The incident took place last week after Henning appeared at a planning commission meeting to support a permit request to allow a local church congregation to move into a building once owned by Floyd.