Los Angeles City Council approves $2.5M payment to fire captains in racial discrimination case

City approves $2.5M payout to fire captains

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles City Council has approved a $2.5 million payment to two white fire captains who won a racial discrimination case in 2008 involving a black firefighter who was fed dog food.

The City Council approved the payment Friday for fire Capt. Chris Burton and Capt. John Tohill.

A jury initially awarded the captains $1.6 million in 2008. An attorney says the extra costs include attorneys’ fees and interest payments.

The captains sued the city in 2006 claiming they were made scapegoats for the misconduct of a firefighter who laced firefighter Tennie Pierce’s spaghetti with dog food.

In 2007, the city agreed to pay Pierce $1.5 million to settle claims that he suffered harassment and retaliation after co-workers served him the tainted food as a prank.

Information from: Los Angeles Times, www.latimes.com