By Fallan Patterson
Staff Writer

Malcom Thompson returned to his post as the Osceola County Clerk of Court Monday after a three-month suspension during which he went on trial for alleged workplace violence.

Thompson was reinstated Friday to the position by Gov. Rick Scott, who suspended the first-term Democrat for malfeasance in January pending the outcome of his misdemeanor cases.

An executive order by Scott detailed that Thompson, 62, was permitted to immediately return to the office he’s held since 2008.

“Malcom Thompson is hereby reinstated to the public office that he held at the time of the above-mentioned suspension,” Scott wrote in the order. “The suspension of Malcom Thompson is terminated.”

By Monday afternoon, Thompson’s name and photograph were returned to the Clerk’s Office website.

“He’s back to work. It’s pretty much status quo,” said C. Rodolfo Celis, general council and public information officer for the Clerk’s Office, adding Thompson spent much of the day catching up on business that occurred in his absence.

Thompson didn’t make himself available Monday but offered a comment in a press release sent out late in the day.

“It feels great to be back,” he wrote. “I feel honored to have a wonderful staff that has been able to maintain the highest quality of work and offering the citizens of Osceola County the finest service possible.

“This office is going to move forward toward continuing to be the finest Clerk’s office in the nation,” he wrote, adding employees are currently working on a new user-friendly and efficient computer system.

Thompson was suspended without pay from his elected post by Scott in January after two female employees accused him of battery and assault.

Administrative aide Latifa Ramdani accused Thompson, whom she’s known for more than 15 years, of pushing her into the door frame of his office after an argument about when to remove holiday cards from his office door.

Human resources director Kimberlee Zander accused Thompson of assault after he allegedly lunged at her and pointed his finger in her face during a discussion about an internal investigation of the alleged battery.

Thompson was found not guilty of battery by a jury and was acquitted of the assault charge by Ninth Judicial Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. in separate trials in April.

Thompson was replaced by Deputy Clerk of Court Kim Hennecy, a long-time employee of the office, during his suspension. Hennecy testified for the state during both trials.

Tensions were reportedly high this week as employees who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their jobs said Thompson was demoting employees. The Clerk’s Office employes 160 people.

However Celis said no suspensions had been implemented Monday.

Thompson’s attorney, Stewart Cohen, said he was hopeful earlier this month that his client would be allowed to return to the Clerk’s Office by the governor after “the jury made the right decision in court.”

Cohen was quick to defend Thompson, stating that the former police officer is not a “vindictive person” and would be professional upon his return.

“There are some people who have demonized Mr. Thompson and he is hardly that person. There’s a certain degree of paranoia,” Cohen said. “If you speak to the mainstream people, you’ll see he has quite a bit of support. He’s not going to come back to the office like Godzilla.”

Thompson, who still faces an ethics violation filed by one of his accusers, is running for re-election.