Gilbert v. City of Little Rock

544 F. Supp. 1231, 29 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 969, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14134
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Arkansas
DecidedAugust 13, 1982
DocketLR-C-78-340
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 544 F. Supp. 1231 (Gilbert v. City of Little Rock) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gilbert v. City of Little Rock, 544 F. Supp. 1231, 29 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 969, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14134 (E.D. Ark. 1982).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

ROY, District Judge.

On September 27,1978, plaintiffs Johnnie Gilbert and Horace Walters filed charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC] alleging racial discrimination by the Little Rock Police Department [LRPD], On September 27, 1978, plaintiffs Johnnie Gilbert, Horace Walters, Andrew Lockhart, and Billy O’Donald filed the original complaint in this action against the City of Little Rock, the Civil Service Commission [CSC], and Walter E. “Sonny” Simpson (in both his individual and official capacities). Relief was requested under 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(f), 42 U.S.C. § 1981, 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and the Fourteenth Amendment. On October 17, 1978, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint which dropped the CSC as a defendant. On February 16,1979, Julius Bryant, Jack Matlock, Maxie Alexander, Grady Anthony, Marcella Wilson, and Finis Lowe filed charges with the EEOC alleging racial discrimination by the LRPD. On February 22, 1979, Julius Bryant, Jack Matlock, Maxie Alexander, Grady Anthony, Marcella Wilson, Finis Lowe, Jessie Briscoe and Larry Bazzelle filed a motion to intervene and a complaint. Their action was based upon 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(f), 42 U.S.C. § 1981, 42 U.S.C. § 1983, 42 U.S.C. § 1985, the Fourteenth Amendment, 31 U.S.C. § 1221, 31 U.S.C. § 1242, and 31 U.S.C. § 1244 of the State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972. The action was also brought under 42 U.S.C. § 3789d of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. Injunctive relief and punitive and compensatory damages are sought by the plaintiffs and intervenors.

This case was tried to the Court for most of a 3-week period in January 1982. At the close of plaintiffs’ case, a nonsuit was taken as to the individual case of intervenor Finis Lowe. At the conclusion of the trial the parties requested that the briefing schedule be delayed until the transcript was prepared. The last brief was filed on June 8, 1982, and the case is now ready for decision.

On February 4, 1982, a hearing was held on intervenor Sergeant Grady Anthony’s request for a temporary injunction against the appointment of lieutenants from the eligibility list which was certified February 4, 1982. This Court denied the request for the reason that Sergeant Anthony had not shown the threat of irreparable injury or the other requirements necessary for the issuance of a preliminary injunction. Dataphase Systems, Inc. v. C. L. Systems, Inc., 640 F.2d 109 (8th Cir. 1981).

In the case at bar, the plaintiffs and intervenors have alleged that the promotion system for the City of Little Rock impacts on the black employees in a disproportionate fashion, and that each of the individual plaintiffs and intervenors has been treated in a discriminatory fashion as to job assignments, discipline, and other matters. Another contention is that the number of black hires each year has an impact on the number of blacks available for promotion to supervisory positions in later years, so this issue will also be considered.

Carlton McMullin (white) was City Manager from October 31, 1973, until approximately July 11, 1980. Mahlon Martin (black) has served as City Manager from July 21, 1980, to the present. Walter E. “Sonny” Simpson has served as Police Chief since July 9, 1977. Gale Weeks served as Police Chief from September 1, 1969, to April 20, 1977.

The members of the City Board of Directors at the time of the trial were Gale Weeks (white), John Langston (white), Webb Hubbell (white), Myra Jones (white), Sandy Keith (white), Lottie Shackleford (black) and Mayor Charles Bussey (black). The Board of Directors, who are elected at large by the qualified voters of Little Rock, appoint the City Manager. The method of electing directors was upheld in the case of Leadership Roundtable, et al. v. City of *1234 Little Rock, et al., 499 F.Supp. 579 (E.D.Ark.1980), aff’d per curiam, 661 F.2d 701 (8th Cir. 1981), against a challenge based on racial discrimination.

The Civil Service Commission [CSC] of the City of Little Rock, a body of five members, is responsible for certain matters relating to the Little Rock Police and Fire Departments. Arkansas law governs the jurisdiction and procedures of the CSC. Pursuant to statutory authority, the CSC has promulgated rules and regulations governing the administration and enforcement of its activities. The CSC is charged by state law with promulgating lists of candidates for promotions in civil service positions, and the certifying of candidates in numerical order from which the candidates are selected in exact rank order (Ark.Stak Ann. § 19-1603). The CSC has promulgated guidelines for promotional procedures in the Police Department. The rules and regulations of the CSC contain the following statement:

“Discrimination based on race, religion, creed, sex or age is expressly forbidden. Any job candidate and/or employee may request and the Civil Service Commission will hear all appeals in violation of this section. Appeals on charges of discrimination shall be made to the Civil Service Commission, after administrative processes with management have been exhausted.”

The CSC has jurisdiction over appeals from disciplinary actions in the Police Department.

The following people have served on the CSC during the time between January 1, 1975, and the present:

Roy Beard (white), April 1965 through April 1977;
Dr. Jerry Jewell (black), April 1969 through April 1975;
Peyton Rice (white), April 1969 through April 1975;
Fred Hook (white), November 1971 through September 1978;
Charles Crawford (black), April 1972 through April 1977;
Dale Booth (white), November 1973 through present;
Steve Baker (white), April 1975 through April 1981;
Perlesía Hollingsworth (black), April 1977 through July 1979;
Maryann Eastin (white), April 1977 through present;
Lynn Davis (white), September 1978 through present;

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Related

Opinion No.
Arkansas Attorney General Reports, 1989
McDowell v. Safeway Stores, Inc.
575 F. Supp. 1007 (E.D. Arkansas, 1983)
Gilbert v. City of Little Rock
722 F.2d 1390 (Eighth Circuit, 1983)

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Bluebook (online)
544 F. Supp. 1231, 29 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 969, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14134, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gilbert-v-city-of-little-rock-ared-1982.