Kendleton mayor promises transparency after indictment: 'No deviating from the truth'

KENDLETON, Texas (KTRK) -- The mayor of Kendleton is facing a legal battle over some public records.

Darryl Humphrey is accused of failing to comply with an open records request in 2021, which reportedly involved a request by the owner of an RV park who wanted city documents. The Fort Bend County District Attorney investigated the claim, and Humphrey was indicted back in December.

On Wednesday, Humphrey, along with his attorney, spoke with ABC13 about his indictment and said they have turned over most of the information that was requested.

"We have been in constant contact with the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office. We've gone through the discovery received from them," Wilvin Carter, Humphrey's attorney, said. "Both sides have spoken about their respective positions. Now, we have come to an agreement that there's some things that we want to change in the city of Kendleton to help facilitate this procedure better. Those changes would now be in compliance with the laws for the state of Texas."

Humphrey said this was the first time something like this has ever happened. When asked about how things got to this point, he said it was a lack of communication.

"Lack of information and lack of structure on the city's part. And not having certain things in place that we should. Once we know what we should have in place, then we will accommodate the city of then, properly, position to handle this in the future," he said.

He added that as a mayor of a town of just 342 people, he takes some responsibility for what occurred and took a moment to address the city.

"I can speak to the citizens of Kendleton, they know me, and they know how long I've been there. Roots from the beginning, my great-grandfather was first there when the first freed slaves settled there," Humphrey said. "I'm there not because of trying to obtain any kind of goal for myself, it's just help the city of Kendleton and the things that I know that's needed there in the city of Kendleton. Most people in Kendleton know that I'm very transparent, I'm straight up, and there's no deviating from the truth."

When asked about why he was now speaking out publicly about the 2021 case, he said it's all about time.

"We felt this was a good time to let the people know the truth, that the city of Kendleton didn't engage in trying to keep information from anyone," he said.

Carter added that as a result, they've agreed with Fort Bend County to put some protocols in place to make sure something like this doesn't take place again.

"We're now going to make sure, not only do we have transparency, but we have full transparency for any and all individuals that want to get information from the city of Kendleton in the future. The very immediate future," Carter said.

Humphrey is scheduled to appear in court next week.