Second ACLU complaint filed in Police Chief firing

The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland has reportedly filed a second complaint in a month against Pocomoke City officials for violations of the Maryland Open Meetings Act.

The first was filed more than a month ago on July 13, when media was barred from an open city council meeting. The latest complaint, surrounds the private meeting in which city leaders discussed and ultimately decided on firing Police Chief Kelvin Sewell.

The complaint was reportedly filed through the ACLU by a reporter from the Baltimore-based non-profit news organization, Stephen Janis. The meetings were made known when Pocomoke City Councilwoman Diane Downing disclosed the details of the secret meetings to the media.

The meetings, reportedly held in late June by Pocomoke City Mayor Bruce Morrison, the City Council, and City Attorney, at which a majority of Council members voted to fire Sewell, despite Downing’s dissent.

“It violates state law when governments make important decisions behind closed doors without notice or explanation to the public and the press. Between barring media from public meetings and holding secret discussions, Pocomoke officials have a lot to answer for,” says Deborah Jeon, legal director for the ACLU of Maryland.

The ACLU is asserting that the Town’s violation of the Open Meetings Act here justifies voiding of Chief Sewell’s firing.