342:
or what I am. ... I apologize for any embarrassment caused by my private and personal life that has become public. This will not cause my life to change. This will not waver my devotion to my family, serving my city, serving my church. I'm thankful for the grace of God and the willingness to forgive. I have nothing to be ashamed of. A lot of things that were said were taken out of context. In conclusion, I love my family. They're number one. And, again, I'm sorry for what my actions have caused."
31:
373:
service two days after his death. Political leaders from the area scheduled a prayer service for him on
November 7 at the Phenix City Amphitheatre. A funeral was scheduled for November 9 at the First Baptist Church, with a burial set for November 10. Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones later said that the
341:
Speaking at First
Baptist Church on November 1, Copeland said "Yes, I have taken pictures with my wife in the privacy of our home in an attempt at humor because I know I'm not a handsome man nor a beautiful woman, either." He added, "I've been an object of an internet attack. The article is not who
353:
article claimed that
Copeland had written fiction containing violent fantasies. It also claimed that he republished photos of community members, including minors, online without their consent. One story described a transgender woman's deadly obsession with a local business owner, which the article
345:
Shortly after the article's publication, Copeland told former Phenix City School
Superintendent Larry DiChiara, a friend of his, that he was experiencing "dark days." DiChiara later stated that he had contacted Copeland because he was concerned about his well-being due to "people just relentlessly
217:
Two weeks after
Copeland's announcement, Dellinger announced that she would not seek re-election, citing health and family reasons. Dellinger endorsed Copeland as her replacement for mayor. Copeland won the August 23, 2016 election, defeating Buster Bessant to become the second mayor in the city's
325:
report was released, Copeland allegedly gave a private statement to the website, claiming that his behavior was a "hobby" for "getting rid of stress". He also said "I'm not medically transitioning. It's just a bit of a character I'm playing". Copeland requested that the article not be published,
214:, representing District 5, which includes the Smiths Station school zone, from 2005 to 2016, when he announced his candidacy for mayor. Copeland previously considered running for mayor in 2012 but decided not to because the incumbent mayor, LaFaye Dellinger, was seeking re-election.
241:
when they toured the damaged communities in the following days. For
Copeland's service as mayor during the tornado, the East Alabama Chamber of Commerce awarded him their "Individual of the Year of Award" in 2020. He entered the city into an intergovernmental agreement with
354:
claimed was based on a real person and business. An acquaintance of
Copeland's said that he had posted her name and social media photos online; she also recognized the names of local women in Copeland's allegedly fictional stories, calling the writing "disturbing".
377:
Copeland's suicide received national attention. Lee County
Democratic Party Chairperson Jamie Lowe called Copeland "the backbone of Smiths Station" and condemned "the use of discriminatory and hateful rhetoric to target the personal lives of individuals."
295:
Copeland was married to Angela
Simpson Copeland, a teacher and cheer coach at Smiths Station Junior High School. He had one biological child, a son from his first marriage, as well as two stepdaughters from his second marriage.
337:
behavior". They added "We are praying for the leaders of the church family as they seek to determine the truth concerning these accusations. As the people of God, we pray for the pastor and his family as well."
1506:
1320:
542:
Copeland took he/him pronouns publicly and sometimes took she/her pronouns privately. At the time of his death he had disavowed the latter; this article uses he/him pronouns accordingly.
1228:
1486:
859:
1261:
564:
1516:
1294:
1397:
1143:
1372:
1117:
314:
curvy girl" using the name "Brittini Blaire
Summerlin". The contents of Copeland's posts allegedly included explicit photos of himself, as well as graphic
1501:
1546:
1541:
1551:
1091:
1536:
807:
1238:
980:
832:
1531:
269:
1271:
1058:
703:
572:
1556:
904:
1202:
633:
1169:
788:
1006:
1526:
1521:
671:
645:
1448:
1511:
211:
755:
285:
1032:
877:
1346:
333:
associations responded to the article with a statement that they had "serious concern" about Copeland's "alleged
1420:
948:
728:
261:
144:
1321:"Phenix City leaders to host prayer service to "lift up" Smiths Station, church after Bubba Copeland's death"
379:
234:
222:
199:
43:
949:"Alabama pastor, mayor defends online pics as trans 'curvy girl; Baptist leaders express 'serious concern'"
1496:
496:
442:
417:
310:
reported on social media posts by Copeland in which he wore women's clothing and described himself as a "
594:
1491:
1481:
250:
1295:"Bubba Copeland's church gathers to grieve: Funeral services announced for Alabama pastor and mayor"
374:
circumstances of Copeland's death were under investigation, though his social media posts were not.
953:
226:
616:
1398:"Alabama mayor and pastor Bubba Copeland's death sparks heartbreak, outrage: 'So incredibly sad'"
134:
361:
for Copeland when they spotted him driving. A slow pursuit ensued until Copeland pulled over in
198:(May 27, 1974 – November 3, 2023) was an American politician and pastor who served as mayor of
1118:"Mayor Commits Suicide After Conservative Website Publishes Photos of Him in Women's Clothing"
289:
281:
106:
1373:"Bubba Copeland's death focus of standard investigation, not his online posts, sheriff says"
1453:
1425:
921:
362:
123:
1229:"An Alabama mayor ended his life after a website showed pictures of him cross-dressing"
382:, the former U.S. senator from Alabama, described the treatment Copeland received from
254:
238:
1475:
1449:"Here are the Phenix City and Smiths Station candidates on the 2020 election ballots"
1203:"Alabama mayor told friends he was facing some "dark days" before he died by suicide"
358:
315:
833:"Smiths Station Mayor F.L. 'Bubba' Copeland receives 'Individual of the Year Award'"
243:
230:
756:"23 dead in Lee County, AL after multiple tornadoes hit the Chattahoochee Valley"
311:
1031:
Rojas, Rick; Marazzi Sassoon, Alessandro; Edmonds, Colbi (12 November 2023).
981:"Lee County Sheriff: Smiths Station Mayor Bubba Copeland 'took his own life'"
225:
ripped through eastern Alabama and western Georgia, killing 23 people across
1059:"GOP mayor dies by suicide after cross-dressing revealed by right-wing site"
306:
30:
304:
On November 1, 2023, journalist Craig Monger of conservative news website
370:
334:
265:
932:
229:
and causing major damage in Smiths Station. Copeland met with President
1421:"Council Place 2 seat faces possible runoff in Smiths Station election"
1144:"'Incredibly sad': Mayor of small Alabama city dies after online posts"
808:"Smiths Station Mayor Bubba Copeland gets face time with the president"
366:
330:
1262:"Community reaction following Mayor Bubba Copeland controversy, death"
1092:"Alabama mayor's apparent suicide underscores the dangers of outing"
357:
The same day, sheriff's deputies were responding to a request for a
565:"Smiths Station names new mayor following Bubba Copeland's death"
1266:
1170:"F.L. 'Bubba' Copeland, Alabama mayor and pastor, kills himself"
789:"F.L. 'Bubba' Copeland, Alabama mayor and pastor, kills himself"
676:
284:, but lived in Smiths Station for most of his life. He attended
249:
Copeland also served as a pastor at the First Baptist Church of
1233:
270:
Republican primary for the 2022 Alabama gubernatorial election
617:"'Bubba' Copeland to challenge sitting Smiths Station mayor"
704:"A Mayor in Alabama Surveys the Damage of a Deadly Tornado"
288:
and received a hotel and restaurant management degree from
253:
and owned The Country Market, a retail grocery business in
1033:"A Mayor's Suicide Leaves an Alabama City Seeking Answers"
634:
Smiths Station first mayor says she won't seek re-election
1007:"Alabama mayor who died from suicide to be buried Friday"
672:"New Smiths Station mayor officially sworn into office"
905:"Five East Alabama mayors endorse Ivey for reelection"
1507:
21st-century Baptist ministers from the United States
646:"Smiths Station Mayor endorses replacement candidate"
878:"Smiths Station Reaches Intergovernmental Agreement"
1347:"Funeral arrangements set for Smiths Station Mayor"
1345:O'Neal, Jatavia; Brown, Justin (November 3, 2023).
860:"Smiths Station, Fort Benning enter into agreement"
729:"Deadly tornadoes bring 'unbelievable devastation'"
173:
150:
140:
130:
113:
89:
84:
70:
60:
41:
21:
1201:Li, David K.; Silva, Daniella (November 6, 2023).
326:citing his family and his position as a pastor.
365:, exited his vehicle, and shot himself with a
1487:2020s anti-LGBT movement in the United States
754:Waldock, Julie; Jones, Alex (March 3, 2019).
8:
975:
973:
971:
56:November 7, 2016 – November 3, 2023
610:
608:
473:
393:
369:. Copeland's church at Phenix City held a
29:
18:
1517:American politicians who died by suicide
555:
535:
202:, from 2016 until his suicide in 2023.
1319:Koplowitz, Howard (November 6, 2023).
1168:Koplowitz, Howard (November 4, 2023).
787:Koplowitz, Howard (November 3, 2023).
1196:
1194:
1192:
1190:
1116:Luciano, Michael (November 3, 2023).
1085:
1083:
1081:
1079:
1057:Kilander, Gustaf (November 5, 2023).
1000:
998:
996:
994:
942:
940:
782:
780:
778:
776:
563:Thorton, William (November 7, 2023).
479:
475:2020 Smiths Station mayoral election
399:
395:2016 Smiths Station mayoral election
7:
1005:Niemietz, Brian (November 6, 2023).
697:
695:
218:history. He was re-elected in 2020.
1293:Garrison, Greg (November 5, 2023).
947:Assuncao, Muri (November 3, 2023).
1260:Brown, Justin (November 7, 2023).
1142:D'Angelo, Bob (November 4, 2023).
14:
1502:21st-century American politicians
1371:Gray, Jeremy (November 7, 2023).
1227:Kim, Juliana (November 7, 2023).
806:Williams, Chuck (March 8, 2019).
702:Bethea, Charles (March 6, 2019).
1090:Yurcaba, Jo (November 6, 2023).
858:DuBois, Denise (July 13, 2022).
492:
438:
412:
1547:School board members in Alabama
1542:People from Lee County, Alabama
1419:Wright, Ben (August 24, 2016).
329:Leaders in some of the state's
163:
16:American politician (1974–2023)
1552:Suicides by firearm in Alabama
1:
1537:People from Columbus, Georgia
615:Williams, Chuck (June 2016).
595:"Mr. F. L. Bubba Copeland Jr"
318:and transgender pornography.
212:Lee County Board of Education
1447:Rice, Mark (July 23, 2020).
1532:Mayors of places in Alabama
1573:
286:Smiths Station High School
1400:. AL.com. 4 November 2023
903:Ly, My (April 21, 2022).
599:Vance Brooks Funeral Home
514:
507:
488:
485:
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408:
405:
402:
386:as "sad and disgusting."
233:as well as U.S. Senators
181:
80:
49:
37:
28:
1557:Victims of cyberbullying
922:MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL
621:Columbus Ledger-Inquirer
264:, he endorsed incumbent
131:Cause of death
864:Citizen of East Alabama
504:F. L. "Bubba" Copeland
424:F. L. "Bubba" Copeland
349:On November 3, another
346:attacking" him online.
210:Copeland served on the
200:Smiths Station, Alabama
447:John "Buster" Bessant
1527:LGBT-related suicides
1522:Baptists from Alabama
280:Copeland was born in
933:Mrs. Angela Copeland
94:Fred L. Copeland Jr.
1512:Alabama Republicans
1325:Alabama Media Group
1299:Alabama Media Group
1274:on November 7, 2023
1241:on November 7, 2023
1174:Alabama Media Group
1011:New York Daily News
987:. November 3, 2023.
954:New York Daily News
839:. February 19, 2020
575:on November 7, 2023
476:
396:
223:violent EF4 tornado
156:Angela Gail Simpson
1037:The New York Times
680:. November 8, 2016
474:
394:
135:Suicide by gunshot
652:. August 12, 2016
527:
526:
472:
471:
390:Electoral history
290:Auburn University
282:Columbus, Georgia
221:In March 2019, a
185:
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107:Columbus, Georgia
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1290:
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1281:
1279:
1270:. Archived from
1257:
1251:
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1246:
1237:. Archived from
1224:
1218:
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1198:
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837:Opelika Observer
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584:
582:
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571:. Archived from
560:
543:
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477:
397:
300:Outing and death
262:Republican Party
260:A member of the
167:
165:
120:
117:November 3, 2023
103:
101:
85:Personal details
73:
66:LaFaye Dellinger
63:
54:
33:
19:
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1454:Ledger-Enquirer
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1426:Ledger-Enquirer
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1063:The Independent
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884:. July 20, 2022
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735:. March 6, 2019
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166: 2018)
161:
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141:Political party
124:Beulah, Alabama
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239:Richard Shelby
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121:(aged 49)
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76:Morris Jackson
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44:Smiths Station
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23:Bubba Copeland
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1498:
1497:2023 suicides
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359:welfare check
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276:Personal life
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1458:. Retrieved
1452:
1442:
1430:. Retrieved
1424:
1414:
1402:. Retrieved
1392:
1382:November 11,
1380:. Retrieved
1376:
1366:
1354:. Retrieved
1350:
1340:
1328:. Retrieved
1324:
1314:
1302:. Retrieved
1298:
1288:
1276:. Retrieved
1272:the original
1265:
1255:
1243:. Retrieved
1239:the original
1232:
1222:
1210:. Retrieved
1206:
1177:. Retrieved
1173:
1163:
1151:. Retrieved
1147:
1137:
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