Resignation of Bill James

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Tuesday night’s County Commissioner’s meeting erupted after Commissioner Bill James used a gay slur when referring to another commissioner’s son, who died of AIDS.
Wednesday afternoon, Commissioner Vilma Leake was still too shaken to repeat the words James said to her at the meeting.
The incident occurred after Leake had made a passionate plea for same-sex partner benefits, telling commissioners that her own son had lived a homosexual lifestyle and died of AIDS.
Moments after she finished speaking, James leaned over to her and said something. Eyewitness News has learned that he said he didn’t know her son was, in his words, “a homo.”
Leake shot back as Commission Chairman Jennifer Roberts began to speak.
Wednesday morning, James stood by his comment. In a statement, he said, “Since she didn’t define what lifestyle she was referring to, I asked her … response to me was to threaten violence.”
James said using the slang term for homosexual was not necessarily a putdown and called Leake a religious hypocrite, using her son’s lifestyle to vote for benefits that will cost tax dollars.
Leake said she does not plan to let the comment go.