Hunter v. City of Ann Arbor

325 F. Supp. 847
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedApril 28, 1971
DocketCiv. A. 36150
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 325 F. Supp. 847 (Hunter v. City of Ann Arbor) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hunter v. City of Ann Arbor, 325 F. Supp. 847 (E.D. Mich. 1971).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

FEIKENS, District Judge.

This is an action against the City of Ann Arbor, Michigan; its City Administrator, Guy C. Larcom, Jr.; and the *849 Director of the City’s Department of Human Rights, James C. Slaughter. Plaintiff has alleged that he was fired from his position as Assistant Director of the Department of Human Rights without any justification, solely because he is a black man and because he sought to enforce the City’s Human Rights Ordinance in an effort to end discrimination. He further alleges that this firing was done under color of law, without due process being afforded him, and that the manner of his termination has damaged him and will also cause him irreparable injury unless he is granted temporary and permanent injunctive relief.

Plaintiff’s application for preliminary injunction was heard, and testimony was taken, on March 17, 18, 19, and 23, 1971. Plaintiff called witnesses to testify as to the events leading up to and following his termination, and he also called an expert witness who testified as to the matter of institutional racism in the City. At the end of plaintiff’s case, it appeared that the determination of whether preliminary relief would be granted turned on plaintiff’s allegations that the City failed to afford him due process. The defendants, at the court’s suggestion, limited their case to testimony bearing on the manner of the plaintiff’s termination, and they also presented expert testimony on accepted municipal personnel practices with respect to terminations. In reaching a decision on this motion, the court has limited itself to a consideration of the testimony with respect to procedure, and has not considered the testimony relating to any alleged racially based motivations on the part of the City or its officials. It should be noted that counsel for the City requested and was given an opportunity to put into the record an offer of proof in the form of a written statement in rebuttal to the testimony of alleged discrimination. However, it should also be noted that this opinion is limited to plaintiff’s motion for preliminary injunctive relief; that the findings of fact and conclusions of law stated herein are limited to the purpose of the motion, and that they are subject to modification at later stages of the suit.

The findings of fact are as follows: Plaintiff Hunter was employed by the City of Ann Arbor Department of Human Rights as a complaint investigator in 1966, and advanced to the position of Assistant Director. In May 1970, he was appointed Acting Director of the Department by defendant Larcom, the City Administrator. On November 30, 1970, defendant Slaughter assumed the position of Director of the Department, and Hunter resumed his former position as Assistant Director. The duties of the Assistant Director are to assist the Director under the Director’s supervision. Hunter performed these duties until January 5, 1971, at which time a dispute arose between Hunter and the defendants.

Slaughter sought the advice of the City’s Personnel Director as to how to handle the matter. At the Director’s suggestion, Slaughter called Hunter to his office for a conference on January 15, 1971. Subsequent to the conference, on January 18, and after again seeking the Personnel Director’s advice, Slaughter sent the following communication to Hunter by certified mail, return receipt requested:

January 18, 1971
TO: ROBERT H. HUNTER, Assistant Director Human Rights Department
PROM: JAMES C. SLAUGHTER, Director [signature] Human Rights Department
RE: ATTENDANCE AND CONFORMITY TO THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUR POSITION AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
1. On Monday, January 4, 1971, you did not report for duty at 8:00 a. m. I was informed by the Principal Clerk Stenographer that you were taking the morning off and would be in in the afternoon.
On the above date, you arrived at approximately 12:15 p. m. dressed in slacks, sports shirt and jacket, *850 but left almost immediately and did not return to the office that day or to my knowledge perform any duties connected with your position.
2. On January 5, 1971, you did not report for duty at 8:00 a. m. I was informed by the Principal Clerk Stenographer that you would be in in the afternoon. You came in at approximately 12:10 p. m. and left shortly thereafter. When I returned from lunch at approximately 2:00 p. m., I was informed that you had taken the rest of the day off on sick leave.
You have continued on sick leave since.
3. On Wednesday, January 13, 1971, I was informed you were seen driving your car during duty hours.
4. On Thursday, January 14, 1971, I observed you at Division and Huron Streets at approximately 12:-00 noon driving your car.
5. I was informed that you were observed in the Golden Falcon during the week of January 11, 1971.
6. On Wednesday, January 13, 1971, you attended the School Board meeting at 7:30 p. m. According to an article in the Ann Arbor News, you participated in the meeting in a manner that is not the present policy of this Department.
7. On January 15, 1971, when at my request you came in to discuss the concerns I had about your absences, I informed you of my concerns and questioned you about your activities, especially as they related to enrollment at the University of Michigan Undergraduate School. You may remember that you had requested permission to work part-time in order to go to school full-time and I refused that request. I informed you at our meeting on January 15, 1971, that I had reason to believe that you had enrolled full-time at the University of Michigan. You stated to me that you had enrolled but not full-time.
I also questioned you about your illness. The only explanation I received was that you are sick and are seeing a doctor. I informed you that I accepted your explanation but, that if you were not being truthful, I was going to request your resignation. You informed me at that point that I could request your resignation if I choose but that I had better be ready to fire you. I informed you that if I requested your resignation I would be able to dismiss you; permitting you to resign would be for your benefit. At this point you have began to shout at me, accusing me of attempting to intimidate you. I consider your action of continuing to shout at me, even after my warning that I considered it insubordinate, an attempt to intimidate me and a serious act of insubordination.
Due to all of the above, I have come to the following conclusions:
1. Your activities in the past two weeks have not been those that are normally acceptable for an employee on sick leave.
2. Your enrollment at the University of Michigan would seem to make it difficult — if not impossible — to fulfill your full-time duties as Assistant Director.
3.

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Related

Brookins v. Bonnell
362 F. Supp. 379 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1973)
Abbott v. Thetford
354 F. Supp. 1280 (M.D. Alabama, 1973)
Gutierrez v. Laird
346 F. Supp. 289 (District of Columbia, 1972)
Cohen v. City of Miami
54 F.R.D. 274 (S.D. Florida, 1972)

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Bluebook (online)
325 F. Supp. 847, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hunter-v-city-of-ann-arbor-mied-1971.