[ back ]
Jury awards ex-Woodmere chief $2 million
(by Sali McSherry - December 17, 2008)
Jury awards ex-Woodmere chief $2 million
By SALI McSHERRY
In his closing argument in U.S. District Court Monday, attorney Subodh Chandra painted a picture of Woodmere Mayor Yolanda E. Broadie as being "intoxicated with her own power." She told employees she had the right to hire, fire, demote and transfer, he said, but she neglected to mention she was constrained by the laws "just like the rest of us are."
Ms. Broadie was personally saddled with a judgment against her to pay punitive damages of $1.2 million to be awarded to former Police Chief Lamont Lockhart, his attorney, Mr. Chandra, said.
Mr. Lockhart also was awarded $800,750 in compensatory damages from the Village of Woodmere, money expected to be covered by the village's insurance company.
But Mr. Chandra predicted that the village would appeal the U.S. District Court jury's decision.
"The jury sent her a message to stop breaking the law." Mr. Chandra said Ms. Broadie's attorney, John Latchney, should tell the village to pay the judgment and get the mayor out of office. Mr. Latchney could not be reached for comment.
Mr. Lockhart, who is African-American, sued Ms. Broadie, also an African-American, claiming she had suspended him in a retaliatory action, because he believed the mayor was unjustified in firing two white police officers. According to his lawsuit, Mr. Lockhart resigned from his duties in 2006 after continued harassment from the mayor, including a list of issues she confronted him with the day he returned from a lengthy medical leave for colitis.
Mr. Lockhart supported officers Amy Mengay and Timothy Ellis, who claimed they were fired for minor infractions while African-American officers facing more serious disciplinary issues were allowed to remain on the job.
Following an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Justice Department became involved in the case and sued the village on discrimination charges.
The two white officers settled out of court last summer. Ms. Mengay is scheduled to return to Woodmere as a police officer in January. Mr. Ellis is a full-time officer in Sagamore Hills Township.
Woodmere was ordered to pay Ms. Mengay $125,000 and Mr. Ellis $31,250.
Mr. Latchney said Ms. Broadie did not want the chief to play favorites. He said Mr. Lockhart was a friend to Ms. Mengay, Mr. Ellis and former Woodmere police Sgt. Mark Ramsey. They all had their own axes to grind with the mayor, Mr. Latchney said.
Mr. Chandra maintained that the ordeal Mr. Lockhart went through due to Ms. Broadie's actions took away the career he had so carefully tended, including prestigious leadership roles in law enforcement and an appointment by the governor.
Mr. Latchney said he did not think Mr. Chandra proved that Mr. Lockhart's reputation had been damaged. He has a lot of support, Mr. Latchney said, and was able to land an $84,000 job as deputy chief of police for Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. The mayor "simply wanted the chief to do his job," he said.
In Judge Donald Nugent's courtroom during closing arguments Monday, Woodmere Law Director Janet Beck sat behind Ms. Broadie.
Behind Mr. Lockhart were his wife, Loretta, and several Chagrin Valley police chiefs, including Christopher Kostura, of Orange, James Brosius, of Chagrin Falls, and David Maine, of Hunting Valley.
Ms. Mengay was in attendance, along with her attorney, Avery Friedman, who also represented Mr. Ellis.
One one Woodmere Village Council member, Lisa Brockwell, was present during the 11-day trial, according to Mr. Chandra.
The jury, consisting of five white women, four white men and one African-American woman, made its decision within four hours, Mr. Chandra said.
Hopefully, council members won't bury their heads in the sand like they did for over two years, he said, and residents will wake up and start asking questions.
Mr. Kostura said Mr. Lockhart was a great officer, well respected. When he became chief in Woodmere, he was beginning to turn things around, Mr. Kostura said. "I'm glad he landed on his feet."
Before closing arguments, Mr. Lockhart said, he had been on the stand for 5 1/2 days during the trial. As a former East Cleveland police officer, he said, he made 500 felony arrests a year and put drug dealers away following a one-day trial.
[ back ]
