The 72-year-old Mayor of Fort Lauderdale has appeared virtually in court, testifying that his former partner, a man 38 years his junior, violently threw him to the ground during an alleged assault outside his $1 million pink mansion.
Courtroom Testimony Details Alleged Attack
Mayor Dean Trantalis, a Democrat, gave his account before a Broward County court, accusing his 34-year-old ex-boyfriend, Daniel Curran, of the attack. Curran was taken into custody on Wednesday and now faces charges of violating a domestic violence injunction and battery of a person aged 65 or older.
Trantalis had taken out the injunction several months prior, describing their relationship to the judge as a "very complicated situation". He revealed that at the time of the alleged incident, he was attempting to reconnect with Curran to help "rehabilitate Danny" and steer him towards counselling and mental health treatment.
"And I failed at that," the mayor told the judge. "At the end, this past weekend, he threw me to the ground. He committed everything that’s in the information with regard to the violent act against me, and then I realized that there was no hope for this relationship."
The Violent Incident and Its Aftermath
According to the police report, the couple began dating in March and had previously lived together. The alleged assault occurred last Saturday. The arrest report states that Curran allegedly pushed the mayor "with both hands", causing Trantalis to attempt to "fight him off" at his home.
During the commotion, Curran is accused of grabbing Trantalis by the leg, pulling him to the ground, and dragging him approximately 15 feet across the road. The mayor sustained injuries to his wrist, left leg, and right knee.
Legal Consequences and Social Media Presence
Following his arrest, a judge set Curran's bond at $6,000 for contempt of court and the battery charge. He has been ordered to have no contact with the politician and is forbidden from returning to Trantalis' home. Curran is also prohibited from possessing firearms, weapons, or ammunition. He has since paid his bond and been released.
The Broward County District Attorney's Office has requested the case be moved to another jurisdiction, as Fort Lauderdale is within the county, potentially creating a conflict.
On Instagram, Curran goes by the handle DannyTrantalis and had referred to himself as the "first gentleman" of Fort Lauderdale. In a post from just three days before the incident, he shared photos of a meal, claiming he and the mayor had "grilled chicken and cooked some pasta for a relaxing dinner together." His profile also featured pictures of them attending a boat show in October and a summer trip to Paris.
