Burton v. Clarksdale Police Department

488 F. Supp. 88, 29 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 917
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Mississippi
DecidedJanuary 21, 1980
DocketNo. DC 76-27-S
StatusPublished

This text of 488 F. Supp. 88 (Burton v. Clarksdale Police Department) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Burton v. Clarksdale Police Department, 488 F. Supp. 88, 29 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 917 (N.D. Miss. 1980).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

ORMA R. SMITH, District Judge.

The action sub judice was submitted to the court at a non-jury trial held at the United States Post Office and Courthouse in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on October 24 and 25, 1979. The action is now ripe for decision.

[91]*91Plaintiff, Jesse L. Burton (hereafter “Burton”) is a member of the police force of the City of Clarksdale, Mississippi. He commenced the action sub judice on February 27, 1976, seeking declaratory, injunctive, and equitable relief against the City of Clarksdale, Mississippi, the Police Department of said City, and certain of its officers and officials, not necessary here to be named.

Burton was, at the time of the commencement of the action sub judice, and continues to be a black member of the police force of Clarksdale. Burton filed the action as a class action seeking to represent members of his race in complaints based upon conduct of the police department and city officials which he alleges to be racially discriminatory.

The court entered an order on June 14, 1977, granting Burton permission to prosecute the ease as a class action, defining the class as:

A Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(b)(2) class [action] on behalf of Jesse Burton and all others similarly situated or subjected to, or affected by, the racially discriminatory and unlawful employment practices committed by defendants.

The class action feature of the litigation was terminated by a consent decree entered by the court on August 29, 1979.

Burton’s requests for individual relief were not terminated by the consent decree. They were, however, the subject of the non-jury trial held on October 24 and 25, 1979, at Clarksdale.

The court is now fully informed in the premises and adopts as its findings of fact and conclusions of law, required by Rule 52(a), Fed.R.Civ.P., the following:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Burton is a 35 year old black male police officer with the rank of Patrolman First Class with the City of Clarksdale, Mississippi, Police Department. Burton was employed in October, 1971, as a rookie patrolman. He received automatic advances from rookie patrolman to Patrolman Second Class to Patrolman First Class. Burton has received no further promotions.

2. The first promotion sought by Burton was in March, 1974, at which time the city sought applicants for the rank of Sergeant and also sought to give qualifying tests for the rank of Captain. Burton, although a patrolman, applied to take the test for the rank of Captain. All others who applied to take the Captain’s test were Sergeants. Promotions within the Police Department operating under the Clarksdale Civil Service Commission Rules and Regulations must be made from the next lowest rank if applicants are available. Burton did not apply for the position of Sergeant and did not take the written test for Sergeant, but instead took the test given for the position of Captain. No answer sheet could be found for the Captain’s test, and, therefore, the results were discarded. No Captain’s position was filled; on the contrary, the position held by A. M. Martin was made permanent. From the applicants for the position of Sergeant, Billy R. Hawkins and Roger Roark were chosen. The promotions of John Hopkins and Joe K. Logan to Sergeant were a result of the policy that members of the Dog Squad, a voluntary assignment, receive the rank of Sergeant. No racially discriminatory intent against Burton is inferred from the promotion of the Dog Squad officers to Sergeant. Burton has never sought that duty. The promotions of Officers Hopkins, Logan, Boyd, and Rikard are irrelevant to the promotion or failure of promotion of Burton.

3. The promotions of Officers Hawkins and Roark occurred March 28, 1974, one year and 148 days prior to the plaintiff’s filing his charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

4. The promotion of Officers Roark and Hawkins (the latter carrying the same rank of patrolman as Burton as a result of Officer Hawkins having left the Clarksdale Police Department for a period of less than a year, even though he now has approximately 9V2 to 10 years’ experience), has not been shown to be racially discriminatory against Burton, he having made no application for [92]*92that position in accordance with the applicable procedure. These promotions occurred more than 180 days prior to Burton filing his charge.

5. On or about July 4, 1975, Burton engaged in an altercation with a white officer of the Clarksdale Police Department in the Coahoma County, Mississippi Jail while both were on duty. As a result of this altercation, Burton was suspended 15 days without pay and the white officer was suspended for a total of 45 days without pay. The plaintiff requested an investigation by the Clarksdale Civil Service Commission of the disciplinary action taken against him. This investigation was conducted and the Civil Service Commission entered its Judgment on August 13, 1975, affirming the suspension of the Plaintiff.

6. On August 19, 1975, Burton filed his complaint before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging discrimination against him by the Clarksdale Police Department.

7. On September 11, 1975, Burton filed an appeal with the Circuit Court of Coahoma County, Mississippi, a court of general jurisdiction in the State of Mississippi, seeking a review of the Judgment of the Civil Service Commission of the City of Clarksdale, Mississippi, pursuant to Section 21-31-71, Mississippi Code of 1972, Ann. The Circuit Court of Coahoma County, Mississippi, on February 16, 1977, entered its Final Judgment affirming the judgment of the Civil Service Commission, finding that it was made in good faith and for cause.

8. On December 1, 1975, Burton, while off duty, was involved in an altercation with an individual in the lobby of the New Roxy Theater in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Burton pulled his service revolver and struck the individual on the head, causing a bleeding wound. Burton was convicted of assault in the Police Justice Court of the City of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and his appeal from this conviction was dismissed by Writ of Procedendo from the County Court of Coahoma County, Mississippi. As a result of this incident, the City of Clarksdale Board of Mayor and Commissioners suspended Burton without pay, from his employment with the Clarksdale Police Department for a period of 30 days. Burton did not seek any review of this disciplinary action taken against him.

9. On January 15, 1976, subsequent to Burton having filed his charge before the EEOC on August 19, 1975, a notice was placed in four different locations in the Clarksdale Police Station requesting anyone interested in the position of Detective on a six-month trial basis to submit written application by January 19, 1976, at 8:00 A.M. Four applications were received within the deadline and a successful applicant was chosen at 2:00 P.M. that afternoon, January 19, 1976. Burton belatedly submitted his written application on January 20, 1976. He offers no explanation for the delay. The position for which applications were sought was simply one to be filled on a trial basis.

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Bluebook (online)
488 F. Supp. 88, 29 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 917, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/burton-v-clarksdale-police-department-msnd-1980.