BEAUMONT - Attorneys for a police chief who was fired from his job in Jasper have filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Jasper, Mayor Mike Lout and KJAS radio owned by the Mayor, claiming they "conspired to not only terminate Rodney Pearson's employment as Chief of Police but destroy his reputation through the Mayor-owned local radio station, social media sites and other media outlets."
Mayor Lout strongly denies the allegations.
"I acted in the best interests of the City," Mayor Lout told KFDM News. "My radio station covered it as a news story. However, I had nothing to do with the story."
Click here to read the entire lawsuit
The Bernsen Law Firm in Beaumont filed the lawsuit Tuesday.
Jasper City Council voted to fire Pearson by a vote of 4-1 during a contentious meeting June 11, 2012. Council questioned Pearson about how many days of vacation he'd taken and other issues.
Mayor Mike Lout said Pearson wasn't authorized to take the four vacation days. Only Councilman Alton Scott voted against terminating Pearson.
Pearson was the first African-American police chief in Jasper. Council hired him in April 2011.
Former police chief files federal lawsuit against Jasper, other defendants
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