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Printer-Friendly ModeStudent apologizes to Council
Council members comment on apology, sentencing set for Friday
January 29, 2007 —
After nearly two months of legal proceedings and media attention following an incident at a Saginaw City Council meeting, 22-year-old sociology junior Charles Littleton will finally face sentencing in a hearing scheduled for this week after apologizing to Council members on Monday.
Originally facing felony charges, Littleton and attorney Barbara M. Littles have bargained the offenses down to misdemeanors in hopes of preventing a felony from being logged on his record.
As part of the plea agreement, Littleton formally apologized at the City Council meeting on Monday.
"I'm pretty infamous around here by now," he said. "I never intended to make light of or disrespect a City Council meeting. I should have taken off my hat."
Present at the meeting was Saginaw Chief of Police Gerald H. Cliff, whose finger was broken in the struggle last November. Turning to him, Littleton said, "I'm sorry. I was told that he had to cut off his wedding band, and I can sympathize with that."
Littleton commented on the proceedings immediately after delivering the apology.
"Depending upon how this went, it's going to determine sentencing because the two felonies were knocked down to misdemeanors," he said. "Albeit, the apology went smoothly and all that."
Littleton's troubles began on Nov. 6 at a Saginaw City Council meeting, when after refusing to comply with a new rule requiring the removal of headwear during City Council sessions he was Tasered by officer Doug Stacer of the Saginaw Police Department and forcibly removed from the Council's chambers.
According to officials, Littleton became unruly and in the ensuing scuffle Cliff's ring finger was broken. As reported by the Vanguard on Nov. 20, Littleton originally maintained that the police resorted to force prematurely.
"I tried to talk to them, and all they wanted to do was put their hands on me," he said.
Saginaw City Council members Larry Coulouris and Amanda Kiterman commented on Littleton's apology.
"I thought it was a very noble thing to do," he said. "Obviously, he felt he was a little out of line."
Kitterman expressed a similar gratitude, saying "I absolutely accept his apology. I give him credit for having the courage to stand up in front of a group of people and apologize for something."
Despite what happened, Kitterman believes Littleton can put what happened behind him.
"I keep hearing these things about him, about how smart he is," she said. "I hope he does use that to better our community and do something good."
Coulouris and fellow Council member Greg Branch told the Vanguard last November that neither of them could discern exactly what happened with all the commotion.
However, Coulouris feels that Littleton's decision to publicly apology in accordance with his plea agreement was indeed the right one.
"It was nice that he took the time to go down and apologize. Everybody makes little mistakes in their lives," he said.
Coulouris and Kitterman were the only council members to return messages left for them over the course of last week. For more information on City Council, visit saginaw-mi.com
As for now, all Littleton can do is await his sentencing hearing scheduled for this week.
"I'm going in for sentencing on Feb. 2., and then we'll just see what the judge does."