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Officer files another lawsuit against city

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

(Updated 4:54 pm)

By Amanda Lehmert
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO — Police Officer Julius Fulmore has filed a new discrimination lawsuit against the city of Greensboro.

The lawsuit claims Fulmore was repeatedly investigated by the Greensboro Police Department though earlier allegations were found to have no merit.

Fulmore claims he was targeted because he is black. The suit asks for more than $75,000 in damages.

“(Former Police Chief David) Wray created and developed a pattern and practice of investigating and disciplining black officers, including

Officer Fulmore, more harshly, and paying and promoting black officers, including Officer Fulmore, less favorably than white officers in the GPD,” according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court late last week.

Fulmore’s attorney, Amiel Rossabi, could not be reached for comment Monday.

City Attorney Terry Wood said Greensboro had received the lawsuit, but he declined to comment on it.

Fulmore is the latest in a host of former and current police officers to sue the city in the years after the tenure of Wray, who left the city in 2006 after allegations that the department was targeting its own black police officers.

Fulmore, a 25-year police veteran, filed a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission in 2006. In 2007, the commission found there was evidence Fulmore had been discriminated against.

The commission issued Fulmore a right-to-sue letter in March.

Fulmore’s lawsuit claims that Greensboro police officials created three photo lineups containing pictures of Fulmore and other black police officers.

“Wray caused or allowed (Detective Scott) Sanders to attempt to elicit allegations against black GPD officers from criminals or suspected criminals through the use of various photos of black GPD officers,” the lawsuit claims.

Wray’s attorney, Locke Clifford, said Monday he had not yet read the lawsuit.

Attorney Seth Cohen, who represents both Sanders and former Deputy Police Chief Randall Brady, said no photo array was shown inappropriately.

“Every investigation that was done was based on reliable information and they should have been done,” Cohen said.

Fulmore’s lawsuit also claims that Sanders improperly accessed his personal and city e-mail accounts and a federal computer issued to Fulmore.

In February, Sanders was acquitted of charges of illegally accessing a government computer issued to Fulmore.

Fulmore came under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation after an informant alleged that he was working with a known drug dealer, according to court testimony in Sanders’ trial.

Sanders testified that he was assigned to help and accessed Fulmore’s city-owned computer as part of that investigation.

Fulmore sued the city in state court in May 2007, claiming several police officers and Wray had conspired to damage his career.

A judge dismissed that lawsuit last October.

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com

Accompanying Photos

File photo (News & Record)

Photo Caption: The entrance to the Greensboro Police Department.

What do you think?

12 comment(s)

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NotanotherSergio

May 26, 2009 - 6:12 am EDT

Another lawsuit? Go away already...don't like being questioned when you're linked to a drug dealer? find a new career and move on...

Katbyrd

May 26, 2009 - 6:32 am EDT

If he keeps filing lawsuits, does he think that will make everyone think that he's officer of the year? When you are a sworn police officer, there are things you JUST DON"T DO. There has to be a reason he was overlooked for promotion, and I doubt very seriously it is because of the color of his skin.

tledford

May 26, 2009 - 6:40 am EDT

But it isn't *possible* that office Fulmore was discriminated against. I know this because a lot of white people have said so.

:-)

buzzman

May 26, 2009 - 7:44 am EDT

As long as white folks let the blacks run this community, these lawsuits will continue. Blacks don't want to be equal, they want more than their fair share. I suspect that white GPD Officers have been discriminated against in favor of promoting blacks who are less qualified.
When Greensboro has a mayor who can't even properly conduct the city council meeting, even after being a council person for all those years, we're in big trouble! I sure hope that someone that can win runs against her. She is an embarrassment to her position and a disgrace to her race!
It's stupid to even mention Sanders in the lawsuit - he was aquitted of those exact charges. Just like the other lawsuits by black GPD officers, this one has absolutely no merit. It's just somthing else to distract from the real tasks of running Greensboro. These people are trying to destroy the city!

tledford

May 26, 2009 - 8:21 am EDT

"Fulmore, a 25-year police veteran, filed a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission in 2006. In 2007, the commission found there was evidence Fulmore had been discriminated against."

So even though George W. Bush's EEOC "found there was evidence Fulmore had been discriminated against" his lawsuit has "absolutely no merit."

I know this because white people tell me so. :-)

kaye

May 26, 2009 - 2:04 pm EDT

Just when you think we're about to stomp out ignorance, we have to shine the spotlight on another Fool! Why don't you come to the city council meeting...WITH YOUR HOOD OFF, and speak your mind so the entire city can see you. Then again, you don't have to wear the WHITE SHEET AND HOOD, just come and speak. Once you open you mouth we'll recognize the organization of which you're affiliated with.

kaye

May 26, 2009 - 2:06 pm EDT

J Peterman Reality Tour

May 27, 2009 - 8:34 am EDT

Come on now . . . be honest. You black folks like to be lazy and will work extra hard trying to steal money from folks instead of working under a little presssure . . . come on hommies admit it, you lazy. Sue the City sue anyone because it's eazy and you don't have to really prove anything . . . free money the black lazy way . . . come on now . . .mo money mo money mo money mo money

. . . gonna get paid up in he'a, lawdy, fa-shizzel my bank account . . . mo money mo money mo money mo money

. . . thanks to the Rhino and thier work everyone in Greensboro can read the list of names on there and determine for themselves who really deserves . . . discrimination . . .

Lakeshia

May 26, 2009 - 11:56 am EDT

More great entertainment & amusement courtesy of the CCC -

jeaniegnc

May 26, 2009 - 12:27 pm EDT

As I have said many times when a discrimination suit is filed, let it go to trial and let everyone involved in the case testify under oath. We keep reading about police officers filing discrimination suits against the City of Greensboro and quite a few have been promoted to higher ranks than the majority of fellow officers. I would like these officers to get on the stand and testify under oath and explain their discrimination to the public. If they can explain to a jury's satisfaction and the jury agrees with them, I will be satisfied. Hopefully this case will be allowed to reach that point.

hopie2u

May 26, 2009 - 12:57 pm EDT

Enough. When will this ever stop? Fulmore needs to get a life and move on with it. His paydays from the city of GSO and GPD are over. Maybe he needs to use his time finding another job instead of waiting around for a lawsuit payoff. I am sure he has "friends" that can help him out. Maybe James Hinson needs a right hand man. Oh by the way. why do these officers only holler discrimination when the chief is white? If the GPD is so prejudice and disriminates againist black officers, why are there some being promoted ? Could it be those who holler loudest weren't qualified for a promotion? Has everyone forgotten our new Chief is black? Is that not a promotion?

buzzman

May 26, 2009 - 3:14 pm EDT

I certainly agree with jeaniegnc & hopie2u!!! I don't see any WHITE officers filing lawsuits for discrimination which has definitely happened to some of them at GPD. They just accept things the way they are and continue to do a wonderful job of serving the Greensboro community. Someone needs to clean house of those few 'bad apples.' But, it probably won't happen as long as politics are allowed to run the city.