Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
no edit summary
| children =
}}
The Reverend '''Hugh Garrett King, Sr.''' (b. [[1954]]) is an African American community leader, former [[Pensacola City Council]]man and former pastor of the [[Greater Union Baptist Church]]. He was arrested on [[April 28]], [[2007]] for cocaine possession, after which he was removed as pastor. He pleaded no contest on [[January 14]], [[2008]] and received two years' probation, but is expected to appeal the legality of the search that led to his arrest. On [[February July 7]], [[2008]], King pre-filed to challenge [[Marie Young]] for her [[Escambia County District 3|District 3]] seat on 2009 the [[Escambia County Board of County Commissioners|Escambia County Commission]]cocaine possession conviction was overturned by an appeals court. However, he dropped out The 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee ruled that the Pensacola police did not have "reasonable suspicion" to pull over the race without explanation several months latergreen Ford Explorer in which King was a passenger on April 27, 2007.
==Political & Spiritual Career==
King played a major role in generating support for the [[Community Maritime Park]] project and was appointed to the [[Community Maritime Park Associates]] Board of Trustees. He oversaw the formation of the [[Contractor Academy]] that was established as part of the CMPA's "Covenant with the Community" to help minority contractors compete for government jobs.
On [[February 7]], [[2008]], King pre-filed to challenge [[Marie Young]] for her [[Escambia County District 3|District 3]] seat on the [[Escambia County Board of County Commissioners|Escambia County Commission]]. However, he dropped out of the race without explanation several months later.
==Controversies==
[[Image:HughKingMugshot.jpg|thumb|right|Mugshot of Rev. King following his April 28, 2007 arrest]]
===Cocaine Possession===
In the early morning hours of [[April 28]], [[2007]] Rev. King was arrested by [[Pensacola Police Department|police officers]] who were responding to a burglary call at North [[D Street]]. The police stopped [[Mark Anthony Cotton]] and King, his passenger, several blocks away from the crime at [[A Street|A]] and [[Blount Street]]s. They were driving a light-green Ford Explorer similar in build to the gray Chevrolet Blazer described by witnesses as leaving the burglary. After an officer observed a knife covered in white powder residue on the vehicle's center console, Cotton and King were searched. A bag of cocaine, valued at around $25, was found in King's back pocket.<ref>"Hugh King charged with cocaine possession." ''Pensacola News Journal'', April 29, 2007.</ref> Later reports stated that less than a gram of cocaine was found on King.<ref name="outpastor">"For now, King out as pastor." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 9, 2007.</ref>On July 7, 2009 the cocaine possession conviction was overturned by an appeals court. The 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee ruled that the Pensacola police did not have "reasonable suspicion" to pull over the green Ford Explorer in which King was a passenger on April 27, 2007.
In May, Greater Union Baptist Church suspended King as pastor indefinitely.<ref name="outpastor"/>
{{reflist|2}}
{{start box}}{{succession box | before = [[Sharon L. Wakeman]] | title = [[Pensacola City Council]]<br/>[[City of Pensacola District 6|District 6]] | years = [[1999]]-[[2004]] | after = [[Lester A. Smith]]}}{{end box}} [[Category:Community Maritime Park|King, Hugh]][[Category:African -American politicians|King, Hugh]][[Category:African -American religious leaders|King, Hugh]]
