Editorial/Opinion – In a letter addressed to Judge Michael Linn, former City Councilwoman Pamela Parris asked for leniency in her upcoming sentencing, citing health reasons and accusing Sebastian Daily of “false press.”
The letter shows no remorse for the two perjury charges and Sunshine Law violation. Pamela Parris was convicted of these charges by a jury.
Parris begins the letter by talking about her illnesses, her successful career, and her concerns for the environment.
The former Councilwoman then tries to defend her actions as being a newly aspired politician. Parris describes herself as a victim after receiving “hate mail” and says the recall was “a defeat for the health of the city.”
She also claims that Damien Gilliams and Charles Mauti used her. Still deflecting from her behavior and blaming others, at least that’s how I read the letter.
Blaming Sebastian Daily
Throughout the letter, she tried to put the blame on Sebastian Daily.
Here’s a little background.
In 2019, Parris posted something controversial on her own Facebook social media account, suggesting that gardening could benefit Sebastian residents since they are fat and obese. She then called our snowbirds “carpetbagger Yankees.”
After we reported what she wrote, Parris called Sebastian Daily an “evil trash tabloid” during the City Council meeting (video). Parris continued with her fight against us, labeling us “trash” for reporting the truth to our readers. She also lied about Alan Nelson at Hometown News in the video. Nelson has stated that he never spoke with Parris about Sebastian Daily.
During an interview with WPTV, Parris admitted to writing the post on Facebook, but said it was taken out of context.
“The point I was trying to make when I said obese was if you look at the statistics from the ’70s to now our waistlines have just increased,” Parris told WPTV.
Oh, but there’s more.
Following the WPTV interview, she backtracked and changed her story. Parris told another media outlet that she did not write the post on her Facebook page. In fact, she went right back to blaming it on the “false press.” Parris stated someone hacked her account on social media and that she “didn’t write it.”
Here we are today with the same accusations made by Parris about Sebastian Daily. It was her decisions and behavior that led to the criminal charges that she was convicted on.
In the letter to Judge Linn, Parris accused Sebastian Daily of publishing damaging “false truths.”
“Sebastian Daily continually posted false press associating me with him (Damien Gilliams). There were vicious and damaging false truths that caused great damage beyond this court trial,” Parris wrote.
“I do not believe anyone in this county has not seen my face next to Gilliams’ in this ‘paper’ thanks to Andy Hodges of Sebastian Daily news,” Parris wrote.
“I have more pity than I want from so many citizens, kind hearted people, who want to help yet afraid to stand after seeing what happened to me and the powers of the press and those above me,” Parris told Judge Linn.
But yes, of course, Sebastian Daily and other media outlets have published her arrest mugshots alongside Gilliams because they were arrested together. The two also joined their cases together in the trial.
The ”powers of the press” did not remove Parris from public office. More than 94 percent of Sebastian voters made that decision after watching her behavior at the meetings and on social media. Once again, Parris deflects and points blame.
Parris was also seen in Gilliams’ bar during the pandemic, without wearing a mask and blowing on a pool stick, as seen here.
Then, Parris was seen at Earl’s Hideaway Lounge having a drink, standing in a crowded area, not wearing a mask, or having any concerns about her health, as seen here.
A couple of weeks prior to her criminal trial, Parris went to Costa Rica for a vacation retreat doing things like riding a bicycle.
All pictures are recent, the oldest about eight months ago. All of these photos were found publicly on social media. There are more photos of her around town posted on Facebook.
Parris has also said she has serious health issues and a compromised immune system, but you wouldn’t know it when she’s out in public.
You can read Parris’ letter to the judge by clicking here. The letter can be found with her court case on public record.
