Felony charges against former Lexington council member dismissed by attorney’s office

Taylor Six
·1 min read

The Fayette County Attorney’s Office has dismissed several felony charges against a former council member for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.

Michael Wilson, a 74-year-old former District 1 council representative, was arrested in March 2023 for first degree wanton endangerment and third degree terroristic threatening, according to court records.

Wilson said he was going to shoot someone before firing two shots in close proximity to that person, according to his arrest citation.

On Tuesday, his charges were dismissed.

Wilson’s attorney, John Paul Howard, said the charges being dropped was a “just outcome” and the “correct resolution.”

According to Howard, the alleged victim in the case did not wish to continue with prosecution. Wilson was cleared of all charges.

“The case moving forward for them wasn’t going to amount to anything, I don’t believe,” Howard told the Herald-Leader. “He is not a person regularly in the system and he had some things come up that were definitely out of character. ... This case should have been dismissed some time ago, but it took some time.”

Fayette County attorney John Hayme did not immediately respond to a request for comment.