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Morris County’s prosecutor is sued for racial discrimination

On Behalf of | Oct 25, 2019 | Workplace Discrimination |

Two Morris County detectives filed a discrimination lawsuit against their supervisor, the county prosecutor in the U.S. District Court in Newark on Oct. 17. The plaintiffs allege that their boss intentionally passed over them for job promotions simply because they’re African-Americans.

The two detectives claim that the discrimination against them began in 2014. This was shortly after their boss was appointed to his role as county prosecutor.

Both plaintiffs outline how they were transferred to nontactical roles and received increasingly negative performance reviews soon after their supervisor was appointed to his role as the county’s lead prosecutor. They noted that these tactics were used by their boss to justify not giving the plaintiffs and their other black colleagues promotions as well.

One of the plaintiffs alleges that the racial discrimination that he was subjected to didn’t stop there though. He notes that he was once shown a photograph of an African American defendant and asked if he felt like he was looking in the mirror at himself when he saw it.

The plaintiffs also noted that their supervisor created a permissive environment that allowed their colleagues to refer to minorities as “scum” and in other derogatory ways.

A spokesperson for the defendant issued a statement acknowledging that they are aware of the lawsuit that has been filed against him. They note that they’re not able to comment on the case though due to the Rules of Professional Conduct that apply. The spokesperson said that their office sees the accusations as meritless and that the prosecutor looks to clear his name once he gets his day in court.

The defendant reportedly attempted to tender his resignation in the days leading up to the lawsuit being filed. His superiors rejected his attempt to do so though. They noted that there was a disciplinary action matter that needed to be resolved before he could do so. It’s unclear when the next hearings are in this matter.

Discrimination is illegal in the workplace here in New Jersey and elsewhere in the United States.

If you’ve been denied employment or a promotion or treated unfairly on the job here in Burlington, then you should consult with a workplace discrimination attorney. They can advise you of your rights to file suit to recover damages for any harm that you suffered as a result of your inequitable treatment.