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.