Case against Macon-Bibb commissioner set to expire; NAACP Macon Branch president vows to fight on

Gwenette Westbrooks, the President of the NAACP Macon Branch, accuses Macon-Bibb District 9 Commissioner Brendalyn Bailey of stalking her. After Westbrooks' attorney missed Wednesday's hearing due to a scheduling conflict for the second consecutive week, Judge Richard Winegarden ruled not to extend the temporary protective order against Bailey.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A judge denied a petition Wednesday to extend the temporary protective order against Brendalyn Bailey, District 9 Commissioner of Macon-Bibb County.

Gwenette Westbrooks, the President of the NAACP Macon Branch, accuses Bailey of stalking her, an incident she says stems back to her denial that she knew Bailey in 2012. In court, Westbrooks said Bailey’s daughter continued the harassment after last week’s hearing.

“Brendalyn Bailey’s family pretended to be the media,” Westbrooks said. “She asked me could she take my picture. I asked her who she was, and she didn’t say, she just started snapping.”

For the second consecutive week, Westbrooks’ NAACP appointed attorney, Gerald Griggs, was unable to attend the hearing due to a scheduling conflict. Westbrooks asked Judge Richard Winegarden to extend the 30-day temporary protective order against Bailey, but he denied that request.

Bailey agreed with Westbrooks’ claims that the two met in 2024. Bailey says the dispute is political, and she accused Westbrooks of being upset over her appointment to the District 9 commissioner seat last January. She says she hoped the results of November’s election would change that.

“I wanted her to embrace the fact that the citizens of District 9 had elected me,” Bailey said.  “And because of the election, going forward, I want her and I to have a better working relationship.”

With the case set to be dismissed, Bailey says her focus will turn to serving the people who elected her.

“I want all citizens here in Macon-Bibb County to know that I’m ready to get back to work,” Bailey said. “I’m constantly on the job, and my integrity is intact.”

Westbrooks expressed her disappointment with the verdict, saying the expiration of the order could put her in danger.

 “I understand they say you do have to have a hearing in 30 days, but I do feel like the system has failed me, and it did not protect me,” Westbrooks said. 

Westbrooks says she will file for a new temporary protective order once the current one expires on March 7.