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| Fired Mo. corrections officer sues sheriff, county |
| By Neosho Daily News |
| Published: 07/26/2004 |
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Shane Smith, a former Newton County, Mo. corrections officer, filed two lawsuits last week in Newton County Circuit Court: one against Newton County for wrongful termination, and the other against Sheriff Ron Doerge for slander, misconduct in administration of justice and for misuse of official information. Both suits stem from Smith's termination with the Newton County Sheriff's Department on March 17. Smith was first arrested on a misdemeanor charge of third-degree assault, a charge later upgraded to felony acceding to corruption. Smith and another corrections officer, Adam Babbitt, were fired from the department on allegations they had unlocked a cell door to allow one inmate access to another inmate for the purpose of assault, and then turned off the jail's surveillance camera to conceal the alleged assault. Smith stated in his civil suit that Newton County wrongfully terminated his employment, saying he was told he was being fired "due to the fact that I had not cooperated with the Newton County Sheriff's Department in the investigation" of the felony charge of acceding to corruption. Smith contends he fully cooperated with the investigation, answering all questions asked of him by authorities, and eventually submitting to a lie detector test as well. The lawsuit is asking for damages in the amount of what Smith would have earned in his employment with the sheriff's department up to retirement, at $1,800 a month, for a total of $928,800. Smith also is suing Sheriff Doerge for $25,000 and is requesting a formal public apology by the sheriff for slander, misconduct and misuse of official information, according to the suit. |
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