A Chancery Court jury on Wednesday gave a verdict totaling $562,000 for 25 city police personnel who filed suit almost five years ago alleging that the city never lived up to terms of a 2010 pay plan.
Attorney Stevie Phillips, who tried the case along with Janie Parks Varnell, said, "The jury awarded each officer what we had asked for to the penny."
She stated, "These 25 members of the Chattanooga Police Department risk their lives every day for people they've never even met. Six years ago, the city made them a promise - a promise to give them raises if they continued working. And they did. But the city never made good on that promise. Today, the jury awarded them what they had already earned. It comes to over half a million dollars. Janie and I are honored to have had the opportunity to advocate for them and ensure they got their day in court."
The awards were:
Scott Bales $14,958
Susan Blaine $32,377
James Blanton $11,628
Wilma Brooks $29,220
Jonathan Bryant $24,166
John Chambers $12,585
Scot Churchwell $13,671
Anthony Easter $33,574
Robert Evans $35,813
Jeff Gaines $19,324
Austin Garrett $21,554
Phil Headden $58,180
James Holloway $11,031
Craig Joel $11,597
Kevin Kincer $26,933
Robert Lewis $16,532
Evander Lloyd $20,364
Tommy Meeks $22,472
Chris Phillips $25,604
Bill Phillips $21,250
Jeff Rearden $24,020
Todd Royval $22,026
Becky Shelton $10,857
Doug Stone $14,159
Rodney Thompson $29,058
The jury deliberated three hours on Wednesday in the case presided over by Chancellor Pam Fleenor before ruling against the city.
The jury upheld claims of violation of the city code dealing with fair treatment of employees, breach of contract relating to the 2010 pay plan, and promissory estoppel (that the city made a promise that it did not keep).
The jury did not support a claim of age discrimination.
Attorney Phillips said, "The jury found that the city was not fair or equitable to these men and women, but that it did not rise to the level of age discrimination."
The case lasted over a week with former Police Chief Bobby Dodd as one of the witnesses called by the officers.