The lawyer representing Speaker of the House in the Cayman Islands and former Premier McKeeva Bush has filed a “not guilty” plea to an allegation of battery that led to the arrest of the politician earlier this week.
Bush, 62, was arrested late Monday at a Seminole casino on the outskirts of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
According to police “Mr. Bush allegedly wrapped his arm around (a female casino employee’s) lower back and forcefully pulled the victim towards his direction.”
The arresting officer said, “Bush grabbed her buttocks while pulling her with his right arm.”
Cultural misunderstanding
However, Bush’s lawyer Keith Seltzer, told Cayman 27 News that his client was innocent and that it was a cultural misunderstanding.
Seltzer also expressed confidence that the case was unlikely to progress much further.
.“The defendant hereby enters a plea of not guilty, requests a trial by jury, hereby waives formal arraignment and requests 15 days for the filing of appropriate defensive motions,” the plea record states.
One night spent in Broward jail
Following his arrest, Bush spent one night in the Broward County jail. He was also subsequently released on a US$1,000 bond, but he has not been formally charged and travel restrictions have not been imposed.
The news of Bush’s arrest and the publicity surrounding it locally and overseas has stirred concerns about his future role as speaker in the Cayman parliament, and a political leader.
Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller says he believes Bush should now step down. He said he would be discussing the situation as it related to the future of Bush with the members of his opposition bench.
