Parker alleges there is evidence that Jones was involved in the incident in the police report, plus eye witness accounts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jones said she attempted to report Parker\u2019s comment at Tuesday\u2019s meeting as a terroristic threat to the Fort Worth Police Department, but officers told her it didn\u2019t qualify because Parker didn\u2019t say she would physically put Jones in the casket.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Police spokesperson Cynthia Wood said via email that Jones\u2019 report is part of an ongoing investigation, adding, \u201cIf we receive any information that can be released, we will do that at that time.\u201d She declined to release copies of Jones\u2019 or Parker\u2019s police reports without an open records request.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jones is the founder of Southside Community Garden, an initiative led by the local nonprofit By Any Means 104, which builds gardens for residents<\/a> living in the ZIP code 76104. She has been an outspoken critic of police violence<\/a>, particularly against Black women such as Atatiana Jefferson, who in 2019 was fatally shot inside her home<\/a> by a Fort Worth police officer.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jones, a Black woman, accused Parker of racism with her remark.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI believe that the tone of her voice, it was similar to that of a slave master\u2019s wife putting a slave back in line for having the audacity to come and address them and speak truth to power,\u201d Jones said.\u00a0<\/p>\n During the Tuesday meeting, Jones criticized Parker specifically for reducing public comment opportunities and told the mayor she needs \u201ctougher skin,\u201d referencing past meetings where speakers accused Parker\u2019s family of having ties to the Ku Klux Klan that \u201ccaused you to turn red and leave the chamber.\u201d<\/p>\n Parker\u2019s remark and Jones\u2019 retelling of the incident on social media<\/a> prompted a handful of Democratic activist groups to publish open letters to the mayor Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. The hosts of 817 Podcast, a Democratic take on Fort Worth politics, accused Parker of a double standard<\/a> after she recently condemned political violence.\u00a0<\/p>\n Last week, Parker joined Arlington Mayor Jim Ross and about 40 other bipartisan mayors across the country in signing a declaration denouncing political violence<\/a>. The declaration came two days after a deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas and weeks after the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSuch language from an elected official, particularly directed at a Black woman who is deeply engaged in civic participation, is both unacceptable and damaging to our community,\u201d 817 Podcast hosts wrote in a letter shared to social media. \u201cIt undermines the spirit of open dialogue and civic engagement that we must uphold.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In a statement on political violence last month, Parker condemned an unnamed council member for \u201cessentially condoning violence because of someone\u2019s political views.\u201d The statement came after council member Elizabeth Beck faced backlash from Republican activists<\/a> for a post she made about Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, shortly after news of his shooting broke.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you take an oath of office, you have a responsibility to encourage civility, kindness, and decency,\u201d Parker wrote then. \u201cAs elected officials and community leaders, we are held to the highest standard, and we owe it to the people we represent to always be above board.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Letters published by Tarrant4Change<\/a> and United Fort Worth<\/a>, groups that advocate for social justice, demanded Parker take accountability and issue a public apology to Jones.\u00a0<\/p>\n On social media, council member Charlie Lauersdorf defended the mayor. He commented on one post about her remarks that it\u2019s \u201ccommon knowledge\u201d that Jones was involved in the casket incident.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jones said via text message that Lauersdorf defamed her character by alleging she was the one that left the casket, which she denies doing. She also accused the council member of threatening political violence for a comment Lauersdorf made during the same Sept. 30 meeting warning constituents against threatening the council during public comments.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSpeaking with the city attorney, she probably wouldn\u2019t want me to say, \u2018F around and find out,\u2019 so I won\u2019t,\u201d Lauersdorf said during the Tuesday meeting. \u201cBut I will say, \u2018Please test that assumption, and then take note of the results.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Lauersdorf did not return a request for comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cecilia Lenzen is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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