RPD discrimination lawsuit prepares for Federal Court

Five months after a jury cleared Richmond Police Chief Chris Magnus of racial discrimination allegations, the case is now set to reappear in federal court in November. The plaintiffs — seven prominent African-American police officers — originally filed a suit in 2007 that alleged that Magnus discriminated by race when choosing officers for promotion. In…

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Dueling economics in Richmond police discrimination suit

edwin medina

Just how much money have the seven African-American police commanders suing the city of Richmond lost due to alleged discrimination stalling their promotions? It depends on which economic expert you ask. Whose numbers the jury buys could heavily weigh the outcome the lawsuit against Police Chief Chris Magnus, former Deputy Chief Lori Ritter and the…

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Chief investigator takes stand in Richmond police discrimination trial

ray marshall

The man who conducted an investigation into alleged discrimination in the Richmond Police Department testified Thursday that he was inundated with complaints from both sides of the issue in mid-2007. Ray Marshall, a Harvard-educated attorney whose firm was paid more than $300,000 by the city for his fact-finding mission, testified that bickering on both sides…

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Lt. Whitney: ‘We screwed up as an agency’ in ’08 investigations

contra costa courthouse

A Richmond Police lieutenant on Thursday testified that systemic failures within the department were to blame for a botched investigation into serious crimes in the city. Lt. Charles “Chuck” Whitney testified he is friends with the seven high-ranking African American officers who are suing the city, Chief Chris Magnus and former Deputy Chief Lori Ritter,…

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Ritter testifieds for a second day in Richmond discrimination suit

lori ritter jeffrey spellberg

During her second day of testimony in the discrimination lawsuit against herself, Police Chief Chris Magnus and the city of Richmond, former Deputy Chief Lori Ritter testified that she wanted more diversity in the department’s upper ranks. “When I was deputy chief, the command staff was African American men and myself,” Ritter said. “I wanted…

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