City of Mitchellville sued for defamation by former employee

A former employee of the City of Mitchellville is now suing the city and its former mayor for defamation.

Jason Battin, a former public works employee and a volunteer firefighter for the City of Mitchellville, is suing the city, former mayor Anthony Jensen and his wife, Daniella Jensen, and former city council member Amber Turner in Polk County District Court.

The lawsuit alleges that on March 5, 2026, the mayor fired Mitchellville’s long-time fire chief, Mike Twohey, “causing uproar with the public and Mitchellville employees.” At a March 16, 2026, city council meeting, Battin criticized the mayor’s leadership and firing of Twohey — a move, the lawsuit alleges, that incensed both the mayor and council member Turner.

According to the lawsuit, as Battin was walking to take his seat after making his remarks, Daniella Jensen, with her teenage son, walked by Battin “and angrily accosted him.” Battin alleges he was several feet away from the two and at no time physically contacted, threatened, or assaulted either of them.

‘This man needs to be fired.’

Later that evening, the lawsuit claims, an “enraged Daniella Jensen proceeded to falsely claim on Facebook that Battin had threatened her and her teenage son.” The lawsuit asserts that Daniella Jensen posted a link to a video and wrote that “you can hear the volunteer firefighter/public works guy screaming at (my son) and myself … Yes, that’s what he said to a 16-year-old child with his fist balled up like he was going to hit my child until I grabbed (my son) and got in front of him and walked out the door … To come after a child. This man needs to be fired. Not only that I’m pressing charges against him.”

Turner allegedly made statements of her own about the incident, suggesting the mayor’s wife and child had been “threatened,” and she resigned from office in a letter sent to the media.

According to the lawsuit, Polk County authorities investigated the allegations against Battin and concluded “no assault or crime had been committed” and filed no charges. Despite that, the lawsuit claims, “the Jensens continued to pressure city officials to terminate or suspend Battin.”

At an April 6, 2026, council meeting, the mayor “falsely stated Battin had ‘assaulted’ his wife and teenage son” at the March meeting, the lawsuit alleges, and then had Battin and 15 other individuals removed from the meeting.

According to the lawsuit, similar claims were made by the mayor at an April 20, 2026, council meeting. On April 29, 2026, Battin, through his attorney, sent the City of Mitchellville a cease-and-desist letter, instructing the Jensens and Turner to stop making defamatory statements regarding Battin. On May 4, 2026, at another council meeting, the mayor again accused Battin of assaulting his wife and child, the lawsuit claims. In October 2026, the lawsuit asserts, the mayor falsely called Battin a “wife beater.”

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for reputational harm caused by defamation through libel and slander. The city’s attorney declined to comment on the case.

Over the past 18 months, the City of Mitchellville has been mired in controversy. In addition to the fire chief being fired and later rehired, the city’s entire police force resigned, the city administrator was fired, the public works director quit, three council members resigned, resulting in an inability to reach a quorum for council meetings, and Jensen recently resigned as mayor amid allegations he had moved from Mitchellville and was no longer eligible to hold office.