Convicted KILLER Running for City Council, Pushing for Police and Youth Support

A Florida man who has been found guilty of murder in Massachusetts is running for city council in Palm Bay, seeking to bring positive change to the coastal town.

Michael Bruyette, 59, served 30 years in jail for beating a man to death in June 1985 before being granted release with special conditions in 2016 for good behavior, according to state records.

“My case never made it to trial. “I stepped up and said, yes, I did it,” Bruyette told Fox News Digital of his crime, adding that prosecutors “made it out to be much more than what it was.”

According to state records, Bruyette’s friend Lisa Grimshaw “solicited” Bruyette and two other friends to kill her abusive ex-husband, claiming that her ex had a $300,000 life insurance policy “that she would share with them if they assisted her in killing him.” Bruyette was nineteen years old at the time. He and the other two men hit the man with a bat, although Bruyette says he never intended to murder him. In a 2012 interview, criminal defense attorney Nancy Gertner described Grimshaw’s retribution plan as “battered woman syndrome”.

“I intervened to stop a man from repeatedly raping his ex-wife, breaking into her home, and assaulting her. “One night, [the abuse] was going on, and this happened,” Bruyette recalled of the incident that put him in prison for three decades. “It wasn’t my intention to kill this person.”

The city council candidate, who previously worked for the city’s utilities department, said he isn’t concerned that his history will be scrutinized now that he is competing for a government seat. He characterized himself as “an open book,” “hardworking, responsible, loyal, and truthful.”

Bruyette is advocating for increased funding for the Palm Bay Police Department as well as the establishment of a Boys and Girls Club in the city, claiming that childcare and after-school sports have become too expensive for parents. As a parent, he is concerned about the “at-risk youth” in the region, who have few free and safe recreational activities. He also advocated for “insurance reform” and more inexpensive housing options. “It’s just a shame this city is going to hell,” Bruyette stated. “No one wants to do anything.”

Bruyette claims that, despite his criminal record, locals have been supportive of his campaign. “I think people are more receptive to the fact that I am transparent,” he stated. “What about the ones on the board right now who aren’t transparent? … Because I can tell you so much.”

Bruyette’s parole officer permitted him to run for a city council seat, and he is now listed as an official candidate for Seat 3 on the Palm Bay website, as FOX 35 Orlando reported. The municipal council election will be place on November 5. The primary election will be conducted on August 20.

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