Tensions have arisen between Martinsville Mayor LC Jones and Vice Mayor Aaron Rawls due to their differences of opinion about a city council candidate. Jones supports the candidate, and said he is mentoring him; Rawls cites a lack of experience and past legal issues.
Rayshaun Gravely, who is seeking one of the three seats on city council in the November election, lost his job as a Henry County deputy in 2021, after he was arrested in connection with charges related to domestic abuse, according to online reports.
Gravely said he was prepared for his past to be brought up during the campaign, and that he’s open about it.
Jones said he is aware of the previous charges against Gravely, including the dismissed charges of abduction by force/intimidation, malicious wounding, and strangle wound/injury.
“Both of those charges, from my understanding, were dropped,” Jones said, adding that he talked to Gravely about the issues and has known him since the candidate attended high school.
“I think what really describes his character is how he went through those things, and it made him a better person and more ambitious to help other individuals,” Jones said, adding that he has become a sort of “mentor” to Gravely in the political field.
Jones said he and Gravely share many of the same ideals. For instance, Gravely “talked about how he works with the elderly and felt no one looked out for them,” Jones said, adding that Gravely also wants to help inmates better transition back into society.
But Jones said his support of Gravely has created tension with Rawls. He added a comment from Rawls prompted it.
“The reason that I have chosen to really mentor Mr. Rayshaun Gravely and help him out came from a conversation that I had with another council member and the city manager” Aretha Ferrell-Benavides, Jones said. He explained that he and Rawls were talking about the political climate and preparing the candidate packets when the conversation turned to Gravely.
According to Jones, Rawls “was talking about how he did not and wouldn’t support him because of” Gravely’s legal issues. At that point, Jones said that he urged Rawls to meet Gravely along with the other candidates. Rawls replied that “he wouldn’t support him, and he was going to make sure that he wouldn’t get a white vote, and nobody in the white community would support him.”
Jones said he told Rawls that he couldn’t control a race’s vote, but it was Rawls’ comment which spurred him to help ensure Gravely has an equal chance.
Rawls said he was disturbed by Jones’ remarks and also his recent behavior. Rawls noted that he met with Gravely on June 17. At the end of their discussion, Rawls felt it was evident Gravely was not the
right choice.
Jones, “tried to make it a race thing to cover up his agenda because he can’t support it with substance,” Rawls said, adding there is a lack of knowledge about how to deal with city issues like the budget, maintenance issues, an aging water system and a host of other issues facing the council.
Rawls said he feels that Gravely has “zero translatable skills or experience to this job. LC knows better than anyone that this is not a job for amateurs at this point in time. We need real people to bring real solutions.
“When you have somebody like that in charge, because they don’t know what they’re doing, then taxpayers start to see their money disappearing really fast,” Rawls said, and added that Gravely “has been arrested three times for hurting women.”
“I had charges brought against me pertaining to my ex. Of course, my case was very public,” Gravely said, adding reports and videos pertaining to the incidents are online.
The Martinsville Bulletin reported on Sept. 7, 2023, that Gravely returned to court for a motion hearing on a case set for a “trial by jury Oct. 10 on charges of assault and battery, strangulation with injury, malicious wounding and abduction by force or intimidation in connection with a Dec. 24 incident involving a woman who is a Henry County sheriff’s deputy.”
Gravely had pleaded no contest to an amended charge of disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, suspended, and ordered to pay $351 in fines and court costs in May after he was charged with felony strangulation resulting in wound or injury in relation to an incident on June 6, 2021, involving the same woman, according to the news report.
The case “is a sensitive matter, but I got found not guilty,” Gravely said. “My court case was about twelve hours long, and anybody that wanted to hear the court case was able to come. It was a public case.”
In Rawls’ estimation, the charges indicate “poor judgment” and an inability to govern oneself. Gravely “required multiple ‘co-custodians’ to care for him as he is apparently unable to do so for himself. That is unfortunate, and I am sorry for his circumstances, but that does not mean he should be given a clear path anywhere within a million miles of a leadership role where he’ll be in charge of public safety, police operations, personnel management, and citizen’s money,” Rawls said.
He cited news reports that included a bond hearing in Martinsville in which Sheila Turner testified that she had been like Gravely’s “second mother since he was 14 years old” and agreed to continue her responsibilities as his co-custodian, “and make sure that he continues to abide by the terms set out by the court, shows up to court when needed and stays in contact with his attorney.” The commonwealth maintained that the bond was appropriate, “especially after the alleged violence (in North Carolina, a separate case) a few weeks ago.”
At that hearing and according to online reports, Circuit Court Judge G. Carter Greer reduced the bond on the condition that Gravely have a curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. He also was ordered to not leave Virginia except to go to his court case in North Carolina, and then under supervision. He also was required to live under his mother’s supervision, seek and maintain employment, refrain from using alcohol and firearms and leave the GPS tracking intact to track his movements, according to online reports.
Gravely said he also was charged with minor traffic infractions which stemmed from an accident. He said he has paid the fines and corrected the mistake. Additionally, the experiences have influenced his campaign platform.
“The case is some of the reasons I got my platform of accepting challenges, building relationships, and gaining trust,” he said. “A lot of situations have occurred like this in this area and all around, and people need a voice that is strong to handle pressure, get through the pressure, and keep moving forward.
“My main goal is not about me. It’s to see this community grow,” said Gravely. “It’s not about me. It’s not about Aaron. It’s not about anybody but the betterment of the community, moving Martinsville forward.” He added that he would like to speak with Rawls.
Noting that council positions are the top jobs in the city, Rawls said he does not believe Gravely “brings the maturity for this, the self-control. Even if he had those things, he brought no skills to the table. There is no upside.”
“I think everybody should have an equal chance without someone trying to influence someone else based on something they’ve seen or heard and haven’t had an opportunity to meet them, and they don’t have the actual facts of the situations,” Jones said.
“Aaron and I have had a conversation. We met once, and he shared his thoughts,” Gravely said. “I am open to meeting with anybody to discuss anything.”
Ferrell-Benavides could not be reached for comment.
Henry County Sheriff Wayne Davis and retired Sheriff Lane Perry declined to comment.
Martinsville Police Chief Robert “Rob” Fincher declined to comment.
