Kansas Lawmaker Brawls With Brother Over Baptism, Court Records Show

Democratic state representative Aaron Coleman of Kansas City allegedly hit and spit on his 18-year-old brother in a fight, disagreeing with his brother's desire to get baptized on October 30, according to the Associated Press.

The 21-year-old Coleman was in court Tuesday in a pending domestic battery case, in which an Overland Park police sergeant wrote in the affidavit that Coleman was "uncooperative" with police and "extremely erratic" after the fight between him and his younger brother.

Coleman's brother told police in a report that Aaron Coleman tried to "shame" him because of his upcoming baptism and religious beliefs. His brother said they had argued throughout the day, which later turned into a physical fight when they arrived at their grandfather's home. Their grandfather, Rober Tomberlin, said Aaron Coleman threatened him before kicking over a box fan and flipping over a living room chair.

Coleman has acknowledged past abuses against young women and took a temporary "leave of absence" earlier this month following a Johnson County district judge ordering him to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Coleman has not responded to a text message from The Associated Press and his attorney, David Bell, said that he couldn't comment. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for December 22.

For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.

The sergeant wrote in the affidavit that Aaron Coleman refused to identify himself to police, complained of pain and had to be cleared at a local emergency room. Officers said he would "fluctuate easily" and told them that he had not slept in 72 hours, the affidavit said.

After he was elected last year, Coleman received a written reprimand from a legislative committee about his conduct before taking office. The House committee's investigation of Coleman followed accusations of abusive behavior toward girls and young women. He acknowledged some of the behavior on social media and said he had been a troubled teenager.

Last month, Coleman was also banned from the Kansas Department of Labor's offices because the agency's director said Coleman had tried to improperly gain entry to the department's main office through a secured employee entry and berated a security officer.

At that time, Coleman said he was trying to help constituents deal with the state's unemployment system.

It wasn't immediately clear what consequences Coleman might face in the House.

House Democratic Leader Tom Sawyer previously issued a statement urging Coleman to resign. His spokeswoman, Alexis Simmons, said Tuesday that the office had seen the affidavit, but is still examining it, so it has no comment at this time.

Coleman was the only Democrat to sign a petition in favor of a Thanksgiving-week special session of the Kansas Legislature to consider financially protecting workers who refuse to comply with federal vaccine mandates.