Sarasota Commissioner Kyle Battie expresses regret after Christmas Eve brawl
Battie’s account at times contradicts an investigation by the Sarasota Police Department that suggested otherwise.
He said he was not intoxicated and invoked his title as an elected official – something government watchdogs noted is ethically questionable – only in an effort to defuse an argument between his friend and multiple strangers before it reached a boiling point.
Nevertheless, the 53-year-old city commissioner expressed remorse for what happened.
While Battie lays blame on his assailants, who he says instigated the fight, he also took responsibility for the role that he played.
“I’m city council; I do what I want.”
These are the words attributed to Commissioner Kyle Battie by the Sarasota Police Department just before he was knocked unconscious during a fight outside of a restaurant in downtown Sarasota on Christmas Eve.
The quotes are from written comments to police by James Destasio, 30, whom police say struck Battie in the face Dec. 24. They were initially partially redacted in a report after an investigation by the Sarasota Police Department.
The report redacted Battie’s name and the quotes attributed to him. Sarasota police also initially attempted to blur Battie’s face from security footage captured inside Cafe Epicure.
No charges in Christmas Eve brawl with Sarasota city commissioner
SARASOTA No one involved in a Christmas Eve brawl outside of a restaurant in downtown that left a city commissioner unconscious on the sidewalk will be charged with a crime.
That’s according to an investigation completed by the Sarasota Police Department – an investigation that also reveals that the commissioner, Kyle Battie, who was elected eight weeks ago, may have instigated the fight on Dec. 24 outside Cafe Epicure on Palm Avenue.
Video footage included as evidence, as well as witness statements given to law enforcement officers, indicate that Battie removed his jacket before he approached his assailants. Battie spoke aggressively, and witnesses say he refused to let them leave before he was punched in the side of the head.