posted September 29, 2009
A black former city police officer said he was fired based on his race and because he had declined to find any wrongdoing in an investigation of then-Brainerd High School Assistant Principal Joshua Barber.
Jeff White filed suit in Chancery Court against the city of Chattanooga, asking $250,000 compensatory damages and $250,000 punitive damages.
The suit claims the city "began a series of discriminatory acts" against Officer White that led to his firing on Sept. 26, 2008.
It says he had worked in the Brainerd area and was asked to investigate charges against assistant principal Barber, who is also black, allegedly using pepper spray against students.
The suit says Officer White did not find any wrongdoing on the part of the school official. It says a short time later he was moved to second shift without being given the required 14-day notice on the involuntary reassignment.
The complaint says Samantha Beard, a black female, next investigated the Barber case and came to similar conclusions as Officer White.
It says Officer Beard was disciplined "for not handling the investigation properly," and the matter was turned over to a white officer, Jeff Dean.
The complaint says Sgt. Phil Headen began a series of disciplinary actions against Officer White for various alleged infractions. He said he had been warned by a black sergeant that Sgt. Headen was "a racist."
It was claimed, in the suit filed by attorney Robin Flores, that Officer White was the only black officer under Sgt. Headen and that white officers did not undergo similar scrutiny.
The suit says the termination was retaliation for refusing to go along with charges against Joshua Barber.
The County School Board in February 2008 upheld the termination of Joshua Barber after charges were brought by Supt. Jim Scales.
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