Embattled Huntsville City Councilman Devyn Keith made his first public comments Thursday at the outset of the council meeting, promising to be a better man going forward and apologizing to everyone for the “spotlight” he has brought upon himself.
Keith, arrested twice in the last week on shoplifting charges, said he would not discuss any aspect of the case. He said those questions will be answered in court.
“The longest week of my life,” Keith said in beginning his statement.
Related: Huntsville City Councilman Devyn Keith charged with shoplifting at Walmart
Related: Devyn Keith, Huntsville councilman, turns himself in on 4 theft warrants
Related: Huntsville councilman Devyn Keith accused of shoplifting at Walmart 31 times, police report says
Keith spoke without notes in an even, calm voice as he addressed a city council chambers in which virtually every seat was filled and others stood near the doorway. He spoke for just over four minutes.
“What you are looking at is the maturing of a man, a tough moment I cannot explain to you,” Keith said.
“I am sorry. To every city employee, every director I’ve had lunch with who move heaven and earth to make difference in my community, I’m sorry. To every police officer that was impacted, every city employee that was impacted by the ripple effects of situations in my life. That’s not in your job description.”
Keith gave no indication he was considering resigning, telling constituents to still feel free to call him if their garbage is late getting picked up or if their street needs to be paved.
Huntsville City Councilman Devyn Keith speaks at the council meeting on Feb. 9, 2023. (Paul Gattis | pgattis@al.com)
At the end of his statement, he said he was recusing himself from the rest of the meeting. He stood from his seat at the end of the dais and walked out of the chambers with an escort from Huntsville police. Keith took no questions.
The packed council chambers were silent as Keith departed.
Keith left the meeting before a resolution he was listed on the agenda to present recognizing Turkmenistan Diplomats.
Keith was first arrested on Feb. 2 at the Walmart on University Drive and turned himself in to police in the wee hours of Wednesday morning due to four arrest warrants for shoplifting charges. All charges Keith is facing are misdemeanors. No court date has been set.
A police report obtained by AL.com says Keith is accused of shoplifting from Walmart stores in the city 31 times during the past two and a half months, with at least 15 of those instances captured on video.
“I am also sorry for my family,” Keith said. “I have a mother, a grandmother whose tears I wish I could get back. Sisters, brothers, aunties and uncles. I’m so sorry for the ripple effects that came to your phones, your social media, your doors as well.”
Keith had previously gave an apology in a Facebook post on Wednesday following his second arrest.
“Mostly, I’m sorry to my community. This was never about a man but the mission, one I believe in wholeheartedly. Right now as I speak to you from my heart, I love you. Because the spotlight that is on me should be on you at all times. And I will never stand in the way to be a distraction from the success that you are seeing.”
The police report said video cameras captured at least 15 of those alleged instances of shoplifting, which happened at the University Drive location. Those instances amounted to $331 in merchandise being taken, the report said.
Walmart’s loss prevention team began investigating after a worker in the self-checkout area saw Keith “skip scanning” items at the University store on Jan. 5, according to the report. Skip scanning occurs when someone using the self-checkout line fails to scan one or more of the items.
When confronted that day, Keith returned to the checkout and paid for the items he had not previously scanned, the report states, noting that the employee did not know Keith’s identity at the time.
Walmart learned Keith’s identity by searching his credit card in their system, the report says.
The report says that the 16 other instances of alleged shoplifting happened at the Walmart at Memorial Parkway and Drake Avenue and the store on Sparkman Drive, which is located in the north Huntsville district Keith represented on the city council.
“The only thing I can maintain is that in this moment is that I promise to be a better man tomorrow than I am today,” Keith said.
“I promise you, there will be a better Devyn tomorrow than there is today.”