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Rawls, Sands Anderson Ask Judge to Toss Mayor L.C. Jones’ Lawsuit
MARTINSVILLE, Va. — The legal battle surrounding Martinsville City Hall is back in federal court, with City Council member Aaron Rawls and the law firm Sands Anderson asking a federal judge to dismiss Mayor L.C. Jones’ lawsuit.
Jones sued Rawls and Sands Anderson in federal court earlier this year, alleging racial discrimination and defamation stemming from the controversy surrounding his temporary suspension from office and the investigation into former City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides.
Now Rawls and Sands Anderson are asking the court to throw out Jones’ claims before the case proceeds further.
The lawsuit is part of a much larger legal and political fight that has engulfed Martinsville City Hall. Jones and former City Manager Ferrell-Benavides separately filed federal lawsuits against Rawls and Sands Anderson, accusing them of various forms of misconduct, including defamation and discrimination.
Jones’ lawsuit followed his suspension from office earlier this year after a Martinsville resident filed a recall petition. A judge ultimately lifted the suspension and dismissed the recall petition after determining it did not contain the required number of signatures.
The lawsuits also involve allegations surrounding the city's investigation of Ferrell-Benavides, her 2025 termination and accusations involving Jones and Rawls.
The city later released a summary of the workplace investigation into Ferrell-Benavides, citing alleged financial mismanagement, conflicts of interest and personnel-related issues. Ferrell-Benavides has disputed the allegations.
Rawls has previously said he believes the allegations against Jones and Ferrell-Benavides should be tested in court and that he welcomes the litigation.
Now, Rawls and Sands Anderson are asking a federal judge to end Jones’ case before it gets that far.
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