Larry Bryson was the city attorney for London, Kentucky, for more than 40 years, serving from the late 1980s until his retirement in June 2026. His last years in the job were anything but routine: he was fired and rehired within weeks during a mayoral impeachment fight, named as a defendant in two civil lawsuits, and pulled into public disputes over a fatal police raid, an open-records tampering incident, and a prolonged feud between the mayor and city council.1WKYT. London City Attorney Larry Bryson Retiring After More Than 40 Years
Four Decades in London City Hall
Bryson began practicing law in Kentucky in 1977 and took on the London city attorney role in the late 1980s.1WKYT. London City Attorney Larry Bryson Retiring After More Than 40 Years He held the position continuously through multiple administrations, advising mayors and councils on ordinances, open-records compliance, and day-to-day legal questions. That longevity made him one of the most established figures in London city government, and it put him at the center of the storm when city politics fractured in 2025.
Fired and Rehired During the Weddle Impeachment
On September 5, 2025, the London City Council voted unanimously to remove Mayor Randall Weddle from office, finding him guilty on five of eleven misconduct and willful-neglect charges and determining that three warranted removal.2Lexington Herald-Leader. London City Attorney Larry Bryson Fired, Then Rehired3Kentucky Lantern. City Council Ousts London Mayor Randall Weddle Councilwoman Tracie Handley was appointed acting mayor.
About ten days later, Handley fired Bryson, citing insubordination. She said he had failed to provide a comprehensive update on all legal projects when asked, sharing information only on active cases and leaving out new suits and ongoing research.4LEX 18. City of London Attorney Terminated From Position During City Council Meeting Bryson disputed the insubordination claim and called the termination unjust.
The firing did not last. On September 29, 2025, Special Judge David Williams ruled that the council had “failed to present sufficient grounds” for Weddle’s removal and reinstated the mayor.5Kentucky Lantern. Embattled London Mayor Randall Weddle Returns to Office After Court Upholds His Appeal The same day, Weddle reappointed Bryson, calling him “a true friend” who “stood with me during this adverse time.” Bryson said London needed to “get back on track.”2Lexington Herald-Leader. London City Attorney Larry Bryson Fired, Then Rehired The council appealed, but the Kentucky Court of Appeals and later the Kentucky Supreme Court declined to remove Weddle again while the case proceeded.6Lexington Herald-Leader. Kentucky Supreme Court Ruling on London Mayor Impeachment
Two Lawsuits That Named Bryson Personally
Two separate civil suits filed in Laurel Circuit Court named Bryson as a defendant.
Hale v. Weddle: Defamation and Retaliation
On August 14, 2025, former London police officer Jared Hale sued the City of London and Mayor Weddle over the December 2024 fatal shooting of Doug Harless by London police.7WKYT. Former London Police Officer Suing City, Mayor Hale said he was publicly blamed for the shooting even though he was not among the officers who executed the warrant.
The complaint alleged that Weddle and Bryson “orchestrated a public feeding frenzy” against Hale after a 911 dispatch recording between Hale and Judge Executive David Westerfield was leaked to a YouTube channel and shared thousands of times on social media, leading to direct threats against Hale and his family.8Fox 56 News. Lawsuit Alleges London City Official Ties to Deadly Search Warrant Shooting Case Leaks Hale’s attorney, Brandon Voelker, further alleged that Bryson tipped off the Sentinel Echo newspaper that Hale had been placed on administrative leave, implying his guilt to the public, even though no administrative inquiry into Hale had been concluded.9Lexington Herald-Leader. London Lawsuit Alleges Conspiracy Against Former Officer The city and Weddle denied the claims, calling the alleged facts “insufficient.”
Berry v. Weddle and Bryson: Harassment and Wrongful Termination
In late February 2026, former London city clerk Marcy Berry filed a complaint against Weddle, Bryson, and the City of London. Berry, who served as city clerk from January 2021 to March 2023, alleged sexual harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and a hostile work environment in violation of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act.10Sentinel-Echo. Former City Clerk Files Lawsuit Against London Mayor, City Attorney
The complaint alleged Bryson made generalizations about Berry based on her gender, covered up sexually charged interactions involving other city employees, and took part in a pattern of harassment regarding her “attire, gender and personal relationships.” Berry also claimed Bryson conspired with then-candidate Weddle to preserve the city attorney position following a 2022 state auditor’s report and instructed her to share confidential information about political opponents.11Lexington Herald-Leader. Former City Clerk Files Lawsuit Against London Mayor and City Attorney Bryson denied all the allegations, calling them “lies” and “not true at all.” The court was considering motions to dismiss as of the most recent reporting.10Sentinel-Echo. Former City Clerk Files Lawsuit Against London Mayor, City Attorney
Open Records, FedEx, and Communications Center Counsel
Bryson was drawn into an open-records controversy in early 2025. On January 30 of that year, London resident Elijah Jarvis went to a FedEx store to pick up documents he had requested under the open records law and found London-Laurel County 911 Communications Center Director Larry Walls and Assistant Director Tyler Pearce there with the opened package, using Sharpies to redact information.12Fox 56 News. Tampering With Transparency: London 911 Employees Accused of Opening, Altering Public Records Request The officials said they had realized the documents contained unredacted personal information and had asked FedEx to return the package so they could fix the error. Attorneys quoted in news coverage said interfering with someone else’s mail could constitute a Class D felony under Kentucky law, punishable by one to five years in prison, though the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service reviewed the matter and found no federal violation.13WKYT. Man Says KY Dispatch Employees Opened His Package at FedEx Store to Redact Documents Afterward, the communications center’s board voted unanimously to hire Bryson as its legal counsel. Weddle, who co-chaired the board, recommended him, citing his familiarity with open-records requests and city business.14Sentinel-Echo. Communications Center Board Hires City Attorney Larry Bryson After FedEx Incident
The Budget Fight With the Council
Through late 2025 and into 2026, Bryson was consistently aligned with Weddle in the mayor’s ongoing conflict with the council. When the council proposed ordinances in December 2025 to overhaul the city’s pay scale and restrict fire department services, Weddle canceled a special council meeting on December 3, 2025, arguing the room was over capacity and that holding the session would violate the Open Meetings Act. Bryson supported the mayor’s position, and the two left the chamber. The remaining five council members stayed and continued the meeting, which Weddle declared “invalid” and “illegal.”15Spectrum News 1. London Mayor Cancels Council Meeting, Citing Open Meetings Act Concerns
Retirement
On June 1, 2026, Bryson announced his retirement at the end of a city council meeting. He said he wanted to “enjoy life away from the legal profession” and acknowledged that medical and health issues had factored into the decision. Weddle issued a statement thanking him for his years of service.1WKYT. London City Attorney Larry Bryson Retiring After More Than 40 Years The Berry lawsuit and the Hale lawsuit remained pending at the time of his departure.