MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Former Memphis Police Officer Davin Clemons filed suit against the City of Memphis and Memphis Police Department on June 29, 2021 for discrimination and harassment because of his sexual orientation.
This filing comes as a result of claims of a breach of a 2019 lawsuit's settlement agreements.
The federal suit filed this week names Lieutenant Colonel Dennis McNeil as one who engaged in illegal and hostile attitude's towards Clemons because he is gay.
Local 24 spoke with Clemons' attorney Maureen Holland.
"The named individual in the prior lawsuit had posted a video of Officer Clemons and his husband when they were engaged and had made negative, homophobic, and harassing comments about officer Clemons and soon to be husband. And so when this person came over to the training academy he began, causing lots of problems, illegally and creating a hostile work environment for officer," said Holland.
Holland says they have 90 days from filing the suit to serve the city after which time, they hope the city will honor the previous settlement.
"Davin has been under terrible stress and strain regarding this, but he loved his job. He was dedicated to his job. He wanted to stay in his job, and the work environment became so bad, so intolerable that he made the very difficult decision to leave, he is still experiencing the harm from this bad work environment because it stays with you, it doesn't just disappear," said Holland.
Clemons says he isn't the only officer on the other end of the treatment from the supervising officer that did this to him, but he's the only one who is able to call it out.
The lawsuit seeks at least $300,000 dollars in damages.
So far, no comment from the city.