Angell Reported Copley’s Threat to ‘Skull Fuck’ Council President

COVENTRY, RI — During Tuesday’s Coventry Town Council meeting discussing two councilmen’s resignations, Solicitor Stephen Angel told an angry crowd that one of those two, Dist. 5 Councilman Scott Copley, threatened to “skull fuck,” Council President Hilary Lima.

Dist. 3 Councilman James LeBlanc and Copley resigned over attempts to access un-redacted invoices for Town Solicitor Stephen Angell’s services.

Councilwoman Hilary Lima says the redactions are legal exemptions under the state’s Access to Public Records Act for negotiations. Angell reiterated this point during the meeting, and also noted he was cleared by a bar disciplinary board following an investigation he had just learned about Monday, after the fact.

Also, Lima and Angell said, Copley and LeBlanc previously voted for the contract setting rules for the redacted invoices in unanimous votes, and have attempted to put the issue on the Council agenda even though it has already been discussed during previous meetings.

Copley ‘Skull Fuck’ threat shared in conversation, reported by lawyer

Angell said that he and Council Vice President JP Verducci were discussing the matter prior to an upcoming meeting, during which Verducci mentioned the threat Copley had made to Lima. Specifically, Verducci said to him, Copley said that if Lima did not put the item on the agenda again, he would drive to her house and “skull fuck” her.

From their conversation, Angell said, he believed Copley’s statement to be a credible threat of sexual violence against Lima, which he has a duty to report as an officer of the court. Verducci said he didn’t intend to make it a report, and didn’t know Angell would be compelled to report it to the police.

Lima said she fears for her safety, and asked for a restraining order against Copley.

Lima said she learned of the threat after police contacted her while she was out of state.

“I didn’t even know what that meant. I had to have someone explain to me what that meant,” Lima said, adding “I was told by the police officer that Copley tried to threaten me not to file a restraining order because it would be made public and would embrarrass her.

“I hope that none of you, particularly women, are ever subject to something like this,” Lima said.

However, two women in the crowd loudly mocked Lima as she recounted her reaction to the threat and also mocked Councilwoman Alisa Capaldi when she expressed fear for her own safety. Other members of the audience chastised the hecklers, asking how they would feel if they were in Lima’s shoes.