GREENWOOD, Miss. (AP) - A former sheriff’s deputy is suing a Mississippi Delta county in federal court, saying he was illegally fired because of comments he made at a meeting.
Fred Randle, still Leflore County’s emergency management director, sued Oct. 19 in federal court in Greenville.
The Greenwood Commonwealth reports that Randle claims he was fired by Leflore County Sheriff Ricky Banks because he asked attendees at a gun violence forum in May whether they saw “the ones that asked for your vote.”
The lawsuit says Banks fired him two weeks later after telling Randle that several county supervisors objected to his comments. Randle says he later learned Banks and supervisors had three closed-door meetings to discuss “personnel matters.” Banks fired him by text message after Randle refused to resign.
Banks is declining comment.
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Information from: The Greenwood Commonwealth, http://www.gwcommonwealth.com
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