The protective order against the board members could affect the board meeting

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – We continue to follow a situation involving a restraining order between two Lexington council members.

According to court records filed Thursday, Denise Gray requested a temporary interpersonal protection order against Brenda Monárrez.

Such short-term orders are intended to “stop the violence and abuse by limiting the defendant’s actions until a hearing can be held by the court,” according to the Kentucky Court of Justice.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 20, which is the same day as the next regularly scheduled board work session and board meeting.

We now know that the hearing could restrict Monárrez from entering the Government Center building and thereby performing his duties as a council member.

When reached at her council office Friday, Gray told WKYT she had no comment. Through a spokeswoman, Mayor Linda Gorton also declined to comment on the case.

Gray represents Council District 6, which stretches along the north and east sides of Lexington. Monárrez represents District 4, which stretches from East New Circle Road to the Jessamine County line and is located between Nicholasville and Tates Creek roads.

Both were elected in 2022. Upon being sworn in, Mayor Linda Gorton described the current council as the city’s most diverse.

Now, Gray has filed for an order of protection against Monárrez, claiming that “I feel scared, vulnerable and (I) have nightmares.”

Due to the nature of the complaint, we choose not to report specific details that led to Gray’s filing.

Gray says he tried to get the city’s human resources department to intervene. In the filing, she writes, “I spoke with HR and was informed that the board members are different and do not have the same protections. It means they couldn’t stop it from getting to me.”

That prompted Gray to ask a court last Thursday to ban Monárrez from her home and the Government Center, where council members have their offices and hold regular meetings.

Until the hearing, a judge will not handle access to the Government Center for Monárrez. The hearing is scheduled just hours before the next council meeting.

I asked the mayor’s office what would happen if a judge ruled that Monárrez could not walk through these doors at the Government Center for that meeting next week.

They said they would help if needed, but that this was really a question for Vice Mayor Dan Wu. We reached out to Wu but have not heard back.

Copyright 2024 WKYT. All rights reserved.