CAMBRIDGE — With questions swirling about the residency of candidates in Cambridge’s Oct. 19 election, three candidates headed to Dorchester County District Court Wednesday morning for a peace order hearing between one candidate and another’s wife.
Ward 4 Cambridge Commissioner Sputty Cephas, who is running for reelection, was denied a final peace order Wednesday against Natalee Bradshaw, the wife of former Cambridge Mayor and current mayoral candidate Andrew Bradshaw.
Andrew Bradshaw called the peace order request “a malicious use” of the court system “performed specifically for political purposes.”
Cephas told the Star Democrat he had no intent behind filing the peace order other than not wanting to be bothered.
On Oct. 2, Cephas was granted a temporary peace order against Natalee Bradshaw. The peace order entailed that Natalee Bradshaw neither abuse Cephas, nor contact Cephas, nor enter his residence.
During the hearing Wednesday, Cephas asked Judge Abigail Marsh to grant a final peace order, which would extend the length of the temporary peace order.
Cephas testified that on Oct. 1, after leaving a Cambridge Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, he noticed a white Lincoln follow him to his home. Cephas said when he backed into his driveway, he saw the white Lincoln slow down and the driver of the vehicle snap photos before driving away quickly.
Cephas said he got back into his vehicle and drove behind the white Lincoln to get identification. He was able to identify the driver as Natalee Bradshaw. Cephas said he then spoke with Andrew Bradshaw for a minute or so.
Cephas then brought the issue to his sister, Commission President Lajan Cephas — who is running against Andrew Bradshaw and La-Shon Banks-Foster in the mayoral election — before going to the police department.
During the hearing, he told the judge that he felt harassed and stalked.
“I just want to be left alone,” he said.
Natalee Bradshaw’s attorney Philip Cronan argued Sputty Cephas’ petition should be dismissed because none of his allegations was sufficient. Cronan said Natalee Bradshaw never made contact with or approached Sputty Cephas the night of Oct. 1.
Before denying the final peace order, Judge Abigail Marsh said Natalee Bradshaw is on notice that Sputty Cephas does not want any contact.
Marsh said harassment and stalking allegations require a pattern of behavior for a final peace order to be granted, and this was a single incident.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
During the hearing, Cronan brought up statements that have been made questioning whether Sputty Cephas and/or Lajan Cephas are following the city’s residency requirements for candidates.
Questions regarding the residency of candidates have circulated through Cambridge in the last month.
At a City Council meeting Sept. 9, one resident brought up the importance of verifying candidate applications. In response, Assistant City Manager Brandon Hesson said city staff has heard rumors regarding applicants and their residency, but no formal complaints had been filed. He encouraged residents to submit formal complaints so that they can be looked into.
In an interview Wednesday, Andrew Bradshaw alleged that Lajan Cephas has not been residing at the Cambridge address on her application. He said that his wife “may well have been” seeing about residency the night of Oct. 1. He said if that is the case, her actions were based on “real and genuine” concerns.
Lajan Cephas said in an interview Wednesday that she is not sure of Natalee Bradshaw’s intent. Cephas said she has met every requirement to be a candidate in the city’s election.
Sputty Cephas said during the hearing that the city has a process to do its due diligence for candidate applications.
Andrew Bradshaw said his wife has never expressed to him why she was outside Sputty Cephas’s home Oct. 1. He said that in the privacy of their home, she has sworn she did not take any photos.
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