In a lawsuit filed this month, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Col. Lawrence O’ Toole claims that he was not named police chief because he is white.
The lawsuit references the police shooting involving Jason Stockley, that was found not guilty of murder in 2017 while O’Toole was acting police commissioner.
The verdict set off protests in the city.
O’ Toole claims in the lawsuit that Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards told him “if Stockley didn’t happen you would be the police chief.”
O’Toole claims in the suit that Edwards’ statement is proof that he did not receive the job because of his race, a violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act.
In the suit, O’Toole claims ongoing retaliation against him has caused lost wages, non-diagnosed emotional pain, suffering, humiliation, embarrassment, mental anguish, inconvenience and loss of enjoyment of life.
According to the St. Louis Post, O’ Toole is asking for compensatory damages in excess of $25,000, prejudgment interest.
