St. Paul City Council candidate posts about restraining order, marital conflict on campaign blog

David Martinez, the St. Paul City Council candidate recently ejected from a library as well as a Twins game for disruptive behavior, appears to have posted a seminude photo of his estranged wife on his campaign website, along with a detailed description of their marital conflicts.

The posting, which is on the blog portion of the website, also includes a link to a restraining order she has against him. Neither Martinez nor his wife could immediately be reached for comment.

The blog post says Ramsey County sheriff's deputies visited him at work. "They presented me with a restraining order (see attached) that my wife had filed with the District Court. CRAZY!!!," he wrote. "Fabricated/made-up most of the testimony contained within the restraining order. I am shocked and amazed that someone can make up a story just so they can kick someone out of their own home … and take the kids away."

In the restraining order, Martinez's wife said that David has suffered from depression in the past, and that his "behavior has continued to escalate over the past 3-4 weeks." Their two children "show signs of anxiety and fear around him," she wrote.

His wife's affadavit, attached to the restraining order, describes what she said was a physical assault that occurred in their basement on July 4 while their children were upstairs. She said that he followed her into the laundry room, grabbed her around the neck and shoved her into a shelving unit. He threatened to physically throw her out of the house, and she left, she said.

She called police, who let her back inside the house so she could take their children and some personal items. They spent the next several days at a relative's home.

"I have grown increasingly fearful and concerned about David's behavior and am scared for me and our children," she said. "He has become more erratic, verbally abusive and confrontational. I would describe his behavior as 'unhinged.' "

She also states that had acquired mace and a BB gun to use if "anyone gets in his face."

Martinez was detained at Target Field and banned from the stadium for a year on July 6, the day after he was arrested at George Latimer Central Library and banned from the library system for a month.

Martinez posted a cellphone video of his encounter with Target Field security guards and police, with a caption saying he was "assaulted by the security team."

"No wonder people of color do not attend Minnesota Twins baseball games!" wrote Martinez, who is of Puerto Rican heritage.

Martinez, 38, is running against Mitra Jalali Nelson and Shirley Erstad for the open Fourth Ward City Council seat, which former City Council President Russ Stark left early this year. Martinez works as a project manager with the state of Minnesota.

Josephine Marcotty • 612-673-7394