The City of Michigan owes Sgt. Cleon Brown $65,000 because fellow officers taunted him after he told them he was part black according to CNN.
Taunts such as Black Lives Matter whispers, calling him Kunta, a character from a novel by Alex Haley and is featured in Roots: The Saga of an American Family according to Brown. In 2016 before Christmas someone placed a black Santa head in his stocking mocking Brown with 18% written on its beard.
Hastings city manager Jeff Mansfield said the lawsuit doesn’t have merit per CNN affiliate WWMT.
“The city did not believe the lawsuit had merit. But when comparing the settlement to the cost and disruptive effect of defending the case. It was in the city’s best interest to resolve the case on the terms in the mediated settlement agreement.”
Brown plans to leave the city but will receive his salary and benefits through October 31, but isn’t allowed to seek employment with the city of Hastings. It’s odd that a person is harassed about being 18% black is being exiled from work yet the perpetrators aren’t being brought to justice for their jokes.