‘Kill local tyrants,’ other alleged threats against Wichita mayor in court document

The Wichita man accused of threatening mayor Brandon Whipple over the mask mandate had been texting Wichita City Council member James Clendenin for more than a month before his arrest, according to a court document released Tuesday.

Clendenin said Meredith Dowty might have felt they were “kindred spirits” since the council member voted against the mandate, according to the arrest affidavit. Clendenin started receiving texts from Dowty, an acquaintance, on Sept. 9 and met with the 59-year-old for more than an hour on Sept. 18.

Clendenin said he didn’t feel the conversation went beyond a “venting and argument stage” until Oct. 16, when he reported the messages to police, the document says.

Dowty — a retired Wichita firefighter and local musician who performs under the name “Cathead” — was arrested the same day.

Here is a list of the texts allegedly from Dowty that were released in the document:

Sept. 9: “My focus is turning toward the Mayor and where I can track this (expletive) (expletive)! I personally want to know when, where he eats, (expletive), sleeps, (expletive), buys food/gas or where (expletive) in the woods. This is the fault of the mayor and he is being held accountable even if it kills me.”

Sept. 24: “Need the Mayors bond, and everyone who signed shut down that is responsible ... These people should immediately be given the opportunity to resign, retract their fake authority, arrested hung by their necks until dead. Literally.”

Sept. 25: “And Mayor Dipple is at the front of the line. I have a (expletive) for that traitorous (expletive).”

In the Oct. 16 messages, where Clendenin thought the conversation took a “threatening tone,” Dowty allegedly used Wilma to mean Whipple, the document says.

Oct. 16: “Mayor and all those who bankrupt us” are “viable targets for elimination. Wilma is going to be fertilizer and those who stand with him.”

Dowty allegedly also wrote that day:

“Kill local tyrants.”

“The crimes being committed are those who are violating their Oath. they should have their (expletive) throats slashed.”

“Now we don’t have to go there yet, but on the current course unchanged it will inevitable. so if you like these little commie (expletive) who work with you ... better tell them to honor their oath, it could save their life.”

He also said he wanted to hug his 96-year-old mother before she died and if that didn’t happen he would “set the (expletive) record straight on National (expletive) tv on (how) to properly fellet and prepare your local tyrant,” the document says.

“I need wilma 20? He has a date with the hangman.”

The document says 20 is short for 10-20 which is police language for a person’s location.

The document says the final text that day said: “I know that your think this sounds like a threat, but it is not a threat it is a response to the threat imposed on us by Wilma.”

Officers later went to Dowty’s house and saw him in the backyard, the document says. Dowty went inside and wouldn’t answer the door, the document says. Police called Dowty’s phone and asked him to come outside; he did so and was arrested.

Dowty said Clendenin is his friend and he did not mean the texts as threats; he also said he shouldn’t have used the “K” word, the document says.

Dowty has been charged with three counts of criminal threat. His next court date is a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 5, according to court documents.

This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 6:16 PM.