Former Corsicana Councilmember Sues City Leadership Over Alleged Retaliation

Former Corsicana City Councilmember William A. Jones has sued the City of Corsicana and four current and former city officials in federal court, alleging they retaliated against him for his records requests, his questions as a councilmember, and his advocacy in his brother's homicide case until he resigned from office.

The complaint, filed September 23, names the City of Corsicana, former Mayor Michael Fletcher, City Attorney Kerri Anderson Donica, City Manager James Holgersson, and former Police Chief Robert Johnson. It was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, as Case No. 3:26-cv-03232, and is assigned to U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer. Jones, who represented Precinct 1 from May 2024 until July 2025, is represented by CJ Grisham and Ryan James Franceschina of GFA Law, PLLC, which announced the suit in an October 7 press release.

A complaint presents one side of a dispute. None of what follows has been tested in court, and the defendants have not yet responded.

What the Lawsuit Alleges

According to the complaint, Jones's brother, Deantae Parks, was killed in Corsicana in March 2024, and Jones became his family's liaison to law enforcement around the same time he won his council seat. The lawsuit alleges that after he began requesting records, questioning city spending, and proposing public safety measures, city officials took a series of official actions against him.

Among the allegations:

• A constituent's email. The complaint says Mayor Fletcher used an email a constituent had sent to Jones and another councilmember against him from the dais in October 2024, and later told Jones that someone had given it to him.
• A consultant contract. The lawsuit alleges the City paid its former city manager as a consultant without prior council approval, and that the council voted 4-1 to ratify the arrangement after the fact, with Jones casting the only vote against.
• Records about his brother's homicide. Jones alleges the City cited the wrong exception to withhold the police file, that the Texas Attorney General ordered it released with redactions, and that parts of it have still not been produced.
• Records he requested as a councilmember. The complaint says a request for gun violence data was delayed and came back incomplete, while a colleague received comparable records promptly.
• A request for his private phone. The lawsuit alleges a police association filed a public information request for texts about City business on Jones's private business cell phone the same day he proposed a countywide law enforcement task force, and withdrew it days after he resigned. The Attorney General later determined the material was not public information, according to the complaint.
• A directive to police. Jones alleges the police chief told officers not to cooperate with him, based on the account of an officer the complaint does not name.

Jones resigned in July 2025. The complaint says his medical provider had recommended it, and it attributes the resignation to the conduct it describes.

The Claims

The lawsuit brings four counts under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the federal civil rights statute: First Amendment retaliation, municipal liability against the City, unequal treatment under the Fourteenth Amendment, and conspiracy to deprive him of his constitutional rights. Jones is asking for compensatory and punitive damages, a declaration that his rights were violated, attorney's fees, and a jury trial.

The complaint lays out each allegation in more detail than this summary, with dates, meetings, and the exhibits Jones says support them. It is public through the federal court's PACER system under Case No. 3:26-cv-03232, and the docket can be viewed free on Justia.

Where the Case Stands

As of October 10, the court docket shows that no summons has been issued, does not show that any defendant has been served, and shows no attorney appearing for any of the defendants. Under the federal rules, a defendant generally has 21 days after being served to answer the complaint or file another response, such as a motion to dismiss, or 60 days if it agrees to waive formal service. I will be watching for the City's formal response in court and will publish another article when it is filed.

As of publication, I have not seen a public statement from the City about the lawsuit. Because the matter is now in litigation, the City and the officials named may be limited in what they can say publicly while the case plays out in federal court. I am contacting the City for comment and will publish any statement it provides.

If anyone named in this lawsuit, or their attorney, would like to comment, please contact me at [email protected]. I am happy to publish your response.

My Connections to This Story

I am a Corsicana resident. GFA Law, PLLC, the firm representing Jones, also represents me in matters unrelated to Corsicana, and I work with Jones in an unrelated software company. Jones tagged me in his October 7 Facebook post announcing the lawsuit.

I have been arrested twice by the Italy Police Department, and the Ellis County District Attorney rejected both cases. That experience is part of why I follow allegations involving police conduct closely.

I welcome any questions about these connections.