Posts Tagged ‘johan simon’
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…
Read MorePolice Chief Magnus, Richmond, cleared of wrongdoing in racial discrimination suit
Police Chief Chris Magnus, retired Deputy Chief Lori Ritter and the city of Richmond were cleared by a Contra Costa County jury on Tuesday of racial discrimination and harassment charges. Seven high-ranking African American police officials had sought damages of around $18 million for what they alleged were a series of racial digs as well…
Read MorePlaintiffs ask for millions in damages in closing arguments of Richmond Police discrimination suit
The attorney for six of the seven plaintiffs in the discrimination lawsuit against the city, Police Chief Chris Magnus and former Deputy Chief Lori Ritter said his clients should be awarded about $1.5 million each for the emotional toll of enduring six-plus years of alleged discrimination and a hostile work environment. But the total should…
Read MorePlaintiff Pickett re-takes stand to refute allegations into his own conduct in Richmond police case
Three days after a colleague testifying in the suit against Richmond Police Chief Chris Magnus accused plaintiff Lt. Shawn Pickett of trying to intimidate him with name-calling and threats, Pickett re-took the stand, this time in his own defense. His testimony flatly rejected that of Captain Mark Gagan, who on Monday testified that an irate…
Read MoreRichmond police captain describes intimidation, sabotage in department in 2006-7
A Richmond Police captain described a command staff so toxic with animus and distrust that by the time the chief hosted a September 2006 management meeting aimed at easing tensions, a lawsuit was inevitable. “What we didn’t know was (the plaintiffs) already had attorneys,” Capt. Mark Gagan testified Monday. “I went into the Napa retreat…
Read MoreDueling economics in Richmond police discrimination suit
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…
Read MoreHigh-ranking African American cop comes to Magnus’ defense in discrimination trial
In their first full day presenting their defense, attorneys representing Police Chief Chris Magnus, former Deputy Chief Lori Ritter and the city of Richmond called to the stand an African American police captain who praised Magnus’ leadership and rejected claims the chief or deputy chief are racists. “I have no reason to believe (Magnus) has…
Read MoreChief investigator takes stand in Richmond police discrimination trial
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…
Read MoreTestimony in discrimination case centers on internal disagreements in Richmond police
In recent years, the Richmond Police Department has been riven with discord between sworn and civilian employees, mediation meetings undertaken in bad faith and at least one internal dispute over whether to count a dead body in Richmond as part of the city’s homicide total, according to two witnesses’ testimony Friday. Human Relations Manager Leslie…
Read MoreClashes on – and off – the witness stand in Magnus race-discrimination suit
Lt. Johan Simon, a decorated member of the Richmond Police Department who some thought of as a potential candidate for chief of police, instead gained a more dubious distinction during the divisive early period of Chief Chris Magnus’ tenure atop the organization. He was the first officer ever to be put on a “threat assessment,”…
Read MoreLt. Whitney: ‘We screwed up as an agency’ in ’08 investigations
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,…
Read MoreRitter testifieds for a second day in Richmond discrimination suit
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…
Read MoreRitter takes stand, rejects accusations of racist behavior in Richmond discrimination suit
Scattered across more than a month of testimony, former Richmond Police Department Deputy Chief Lori Ritter has been accused by some of her former colleagues of harboring a vendetta against them and lashing out at them with racially-tinged jokes. But taking the witness stand herself for the first time on Tuesday, Ritter turned the tables.…
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