news-record.com

GREENSBORO — The police officer who has most visibly represented accusations of impropriety in David Wray's police department has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the city, the former police chief and former deputy chief of police.

In the suit, Lt. James Hinson claims Wray, the former police chief, and former Deputy Police Chief Randall Brady, engaged in a "pattern of malicious and willful acts" with the goal of ruining the officer's career and reputation because he is black. Hinson asks for at least $20,000 in damages.

Wray, 52, resigned under pressure in January 2006 after a city consultant's report accused him of misusing power, unfairly favoring some officers and targeting black officers in connection with corruption investigations.

Neither Wray, who now works for the Transportation Security Administration in Tennessee, nor Brady have been charged with a crime.

Brady retired in December 2005.

City Manager Mitch Johnson, who in December 2005 had the locks changed on Wray's office door, declined to comment specifically on the suit. But he said the police department remains committed to cleaning up its public image.

"We've had issues we've had to deal with the department. Chief (Tim) Bellamy has been fair and balanced in addressing those issues," Johnson said.

The city's investigation of Wray's command led to the departure of his command staff and resulted in a host of lawsuits against the former chief and the city. It also sparked Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaints by dozens of black officers.

In the suit, Hinson outlines a successful career from 1991 to 2001. For his first 10 years with the department he regularly received awards and was promoted quickly.

Then, the suit claims, in 2001 Wray began creating problems for Hinson because of his race. Since then, Hinson has not had a single promotion or award because of racial discrimination, resulting in professional stagnation as well as worry, humiliation and loss of reputation, the suit claims.

Wray's attorney, Locke Clifford, disagreed with the lawsuit's claims.

"I believe their allegations are in polar opposition to the truth," he said.

Seth Cohen, an attorney representing Randall Brady, said Brady did not discriminate against anyone in the police department and would be fully vindicated.

Problems alleged in the suit include:

* Wray falsely reporting to city administrators that Hinson was involved in crimes connected to a violent international drug cartel.

* Wray placing Hinson on leave for the purpose of "discrediting and ridiculing" the officer and making damaging and false public statements about him.

* Hinson's movements being monitored by a tracking device on his vehicle under the pretense of investigating him for working a second job while on duty.

The suit also refers to actions Hinson said were taken against all black officers in the department:

* Black officers, including Hinson, were investigated by the Special Investigation Division, while white officers were investigated by the Criminal Investigation Division.

* Photos of black officers were gathered into lineup books for the purpose of embarrassing and wrongly charging black officers with crimes.

Bellamy wouldn't comment directly about the suit but said it would not hamper his goal to restore the department's reputation for fairness and professionalism.

"It doesn't affect it at all," Bellamy said. "I think we will continue to do the best that we can to do what the citizens of Greensboro expect of us — and let the courts handle the litigation."

Calling the lawsuit "desperate," Cohen said Hinson's picture was not in the "black book" that Hinson cited as evidence of discrimination.

"I've seen the book and know for a fact that he's not in it and the city knows he's not in it. This lawsuit says he is. That should give people pause about the credibility of this lawsuit."

Shortly after his resignation, Wray said the book, which included photos of 19 city police officers, was compiled after a woman complained she had been groped by an unidentified black police officer.

He said the woman was unable to identify anyone in the book, and it therefore could support the 19 officers' innocence.

Clifford, Wray's attorney, agrees.

"I believe 'the black book' is not only a model of excellent police work, but it is also an example of white officers protecting black officers from false allegations of sexual misconduct."

James Ferguson, a Charlotte attorney representing Hinson, could not be reached for comment on Friday.

More than two years after Wray's departure, Hinson's is the sixth lawsuit connected with Wray's administration. Of those, one is against The Rhinoceros Times and five are against the city.

In April, Brady won a suit against the city and was awarded $58,000 in retirement benefits the city tried to deny him.

Contact Sonja Elmquist at 373-7090 or sonja.elmquist@news-record.com

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com