Videos released after Rome Mayor Lanigan pleads guilty

Casey Pritchard, Utica Observer Dispatch

Mon, December 15, 2025 at 7:56 PM UTC

3 min read

Though the case is over, the video evidence that was to be presented in the harassment case against Rome Mayor Jeffrey Lanigan has been released — including an interview done by law enforcement.

Lanigan plead guilty to second-degree harassment on Dec. 12, stemming from an incident in the late afternoon of June 3 in the parking lot of Teugega Country Club in Rome between Lanigan and Brown.

Bodycam footage shows Rome Mayor Jeffrey Lanigan talking to Oneida County officers after an altercation with former Mayor James Brown.

Per the sole charge, Lanigan stood accused of “pushing the victim against the rear passenger trunk area of a black Nissan, then restraining the arms of the victim before pushing the victim into a seated position in the front passenger seat of the above-mentioned vehicle.”

In a statement on June 4, Lanigan confirmed a verbal exchange between the two men, but said it had not turned physical. The statement describes Brown as having "...flailed his arms and became verbally aggressive."

Lanigan interview video

In the interview video, Lanigan can be seen speaking with a deputy with the Oneida County Sheriff's Office.

"He had his hand up in the air when he saw it was me and was belligerently drunk," Lanigan said to a deputy. "I brought his hand down and walked him over to the car and said 'sit down in the car and then I'll say my peace to you and then that's it and I'm done with it.'"

Lanigan said the two "...screamed at each other through the [car's] window" and that was the extent of the altercation.

When one of the deputies asked what his relationship with Brown was, Lanigan said the former mayor was a friend of 13 years who got him into politics. Lanigan alleges that things had been fine with Brown, up until Brown "spoke badly" about him on a podcast.

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"I called him when that happened, but he wouldn't take my calls," Lanigan said. "We didn't talk again the whole winter. And then [June 2], he went on Talk of the Town and someone sent me the radio interview."

One of the deputies on the body-worn camera footage asks Lanigan if "...that's what the text to him was about? That you wanted to talk to him?"

Lanigan said yes and that he didn't threaten Brown.

Altercation video

In the footage, Brown could be seen talking to other individuals and getting into a car, only to get out when another individual approaches, whom he embraces. He can be seen talking across the parking lot to this individual, before Lanigan can be seen walking up behind Brown and placing a hand on his shoulder.

The two can be seen talking, but with every step that Lanigan takes, Brown takes one step back until he's positioned at the back of the car.

Brown raises one arm and tries to push away and raises another above his head, but Lanigan grabs the second arm and guides Brown back to the car and into the passenger seat.

From there, the two begin speaking to each other and gesturing. At one point, Lanigan starts to walk off, only for Brown to say something that makes Lanigan turn back around.

The two eventually separate and the car carrying Brown drives off.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Videos released after Rome Mayor Lanigan pleads guilty

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