Marietta City Councilman Anthony Coleman has history of angry incidents and arrests

The confrontation last fall came after a meeting of the city's redistricting committee in which Lewis presented a proposed redistricting map that would meet a federal requirement of creating a majority-black district. The map put Coleman, who is black, in a redrawn district that is not majority black.

The redistricting group will meet again Tuesday for the first time since January.

Johnny Sinclair, chairman of the council redistricting committee, said this week he thinks the friction between Coleman and Lewis is history. "There aren't going to be any fireworks at this meeting," he said. "I've known them [Coleman and Lewis] both for years; they're both professionals."

Coleman pleaded guilty to assaulting Lewis by pointing his finger in her face and pushing her hand away.

Councilman Philip Goldstein witnessed the Sept. 22 confrontation in the parking lot during which, Lewis told GBI investigators, Coleman was screaming at her that she was "stupid" for proposing the map.

Goldstein declined to comment about the incident this week. He told GBI investigators Coleman was yelling at Lewis and that he "tried unsuccessfully to calm Coleman down."

Coleman was sentenced to 12 months probation, a $600 fine, an anger management evaluation and 80 hours of community service. His attorney, Browning, said afterward that Coleman decided against a jury trial because it would be too destructive.

"If we had a trial ... it would have torn this city apart," Browning said.

The last thing the council members need is another distraction. Three weeks ago the council and council member Goldstein went another round in the Georgia Court of Appeals over Goldstein's right — opposed by the city and the council — to build a 66-foot-tall building at the corner of North Park Square and Root Street.

Lewis said Coleman never apologized for the incident. "The only thing he's said to me is I was lying," she said. Lewis said she never had problems with Coleman before and sees no problem working with him again. "That's what we were elected to do."

Cobb County Solicitor Barry Morgan said Coleman's arrest record doesn't indicate "any convictions on any of the previous charges," but it also doesn't show the disposition of the cases. Coleman's then wife, Kathleen Coleman, swore out an arrest warrant against him in 1989 after he allegedly hit her with a telephone, but later dropped those charges. She could not be reached for comment.

The supervisor Coleman allegedly attacked, Gary Lindsey, swore out a warrant and Coleman was arrested. The incident cost Coleman his job. But Lindsey said this week he later dropped the charges.

Gil Robertson, who has worked with Coleman over the past year in the 5th Ward, described the councilman as "a terrific person who brings a great deal of value to the Marietta community. He's been very generous in what he's done for the city." He said he's never seen Coleman's temper flare and never had any difficulty with him.

Ray Buday, executive director of the Marietta Housing Authority, who has worked for years with Coleman as a liaison to the City Council, said Coleman was a vital link to constituents in his ward in helping ease the transition of residents from public housing to subsidized private housing as Marietta closes its housing projects.

"Whatever challenges there are in Anthony's life, there has been no difficulty in working with him and the Housing Authority," Buday said. "I don't have any reservations, or complaints. I would be disappointed if he was not the liaison."