UPDATE: Lawsuit regarding racial allegations filed in Md.
A joint lawsuit has called for the monitoring of several police departments on the Eastern Shore and compensatory damages on the grounds of racial discrimination and retaliation.
This is following the June firing of former Pocomoke City Police Chief Kelvin Sewell and the October firing of former Pocomoke Officer Franklin Savage.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by Wiley Rein, LLP, the Washington Lawyer’s Committee, and the ACLU of Maryland. It names the city of Pocomoke, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police, and Worcester County state’s attorney Beau Oglesby, among other city and county officials.
Andrew McBride, a partner with Wiley Rein, says the lawsuit is on behalf of Sewell, Savage and Lieutenant Lynell Green. He claims the defendants named in the lawsuit either participated in the alleged acts of discrimination or knew about it but did nothing to stop them.
“It’s not so hard to figure out.” McBride says. “You know, three African American officers complain of discrimination in or around the city of Pocomoke and Worcester county. Within eight months, two of them are fired. Both are model officers, you know? You figure it out.”
Sewell was fired in June after McBride claims he refused to fire Savage. McBride says Lieutenant Green, who remains on the force, has faced “repeated acts of retaliation” from fellow officers and the Pocomoke City Council for supporting Savage.
The lawsuit also claims Savage was wrongfully demoted from his position as detective to patrol officer in 2015. According to the complaint, he was allegedly demoted “due to a shortage of patrol officers.”
Ernie Crofoot, city manager for Pocomoke, told 47ABC in an earlier interview that was not possible. He says this is because the department does not give any officers the title of “detective”.
As of Thursday, Crofoot says their official statement stands as “no comment”.
The lawsuit also names the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, which reportedly led the Joint Task Force. That’s where Sewell claims the “n-word” was used numerous times in his presence.
A statement from Lieutenant Ed Schreier, a public information officer from the sheriff’s office, reads “We are not able to discuss the case due to it being in litigation.”
McBride tells 47 ABC if they win the case, the monitoring of police departments would apply to those involved in the Joint Task Force and would last for three years. It would entail oversight from the court system in the hiring and firing of African American personnel.
The lawsuit is demanding a jury trial. McBride says the case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge J. Frederick Motz in Baltimore.
In November, 47 ABC’s Emily Lampa had an exclusive interview with state’s attorney Beau Oglesby on the racial discrimination allegations made by Savage. He says the allegations are simply are not true.
47ABC also reached out to Pocomoke City mayor Bruce Morrison, the Pocomoke City Police Department and Maryland State Police for comments on the lawsuit. We have not heard back as of 11:30 p.m. Thursday.
For a copy of the lawsuit, click here.
