Obtained defense verdict after six-day trial in the U.S.D.C. in a case involving complex 1st Amendment, 14th Amendment Equal Protection, Title VII and state law issues on division of authority between an elected official and the county.

We obtained a defense verdict after a six-day trial in the U.S. District Court in a case involving complex 1st Amendment, 14th Amendment Equal Protection, Title VII and state law issues on the division of authority between a row officer (elected official) and the county. The plaintiff, an African American county narcotics detective, sued the county, the county District Attorney and other county officials alleging race discrimination and retaliation after he was terminated by the District Attorney a day after a Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission hearing. With help from the employer, we presented strong evidence for his termination and were able to discredit his claims against the employer. The plaintiff also filed a separate claim against the county alone alleging discrimination retaliation for failing to pay heart and lung benefits. Part of the plaintiff's retaliation claim in the federal case was that he was terminated in retaliation for his complaint of racial harassment before the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.