Eight minority correctional officers at a Minnesota county jail filed a racial discrimination lawsuit claiming they were barred from guarding the former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd's death.
The suit, filed Tuesday in state district court, alleges that a superintendent at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center, or ADC, in St. Paul reassigned officers of color to another floor when the former officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested on murder charges in May.
The suit says the officers — who identify as African American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander & mixed-race — were "segregated & prevented from doing their jobs by defendant solely because of the color of their skin."
The officers also claim that Chauvin received special treatment from a white lieutenant.
"When Officer Chauvin arrived, they were prepared to do the jobs they had done every single day up to that point, until, that is, Superintendent Lydon's order prevented them from doing so," the officers' attorney, Lucas Kaster, said at a news conference Tuesday, referring to jail Supt. Steve Lydon.
“Segregation has no place in society or the workplace & on May 29, 2020, eight Ramsey County correctional officers experienced blatant discrimination based on their race and skin color,” said Lucas Kaster, an attorney for the guards. “Ramsey County’s segregation order caused immediate & lasting harm to the correctional officers & the jail environment.”
The guards allege Ramsey County violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act by discriminating against them because of their race & by creating a hostile work environment. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, including damages arising from loss of past & future income & benefits & damages for mental anguish & suffering. Some of the guards went on leave & missed pay due to the discrimination, & one no longer works as a guard, the lawsuit says.
Chauvin is now out on bail & scheduled to go to trial in March.
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Source: NBC News
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