A federal lawsuit claims a white St. Louis County fire supervisor was retaliated against for refusing to "dig up dirt" on two black employees.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the U.S. Attorney's office filed the suit against the Robertson Fire Protection District on behalf of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The suit alleges that in 2004 or 2005, Chief David Tilley called then-Battalion Chief Steve Wilson into his office and used a racial slur when telling him to go through the computers of the black employees.
Wilson says he refused, was demoted to private and ultimately fired in 2006. After filing a grievance with his union, he returned to work.
Robertson attorney Chuck Billings told The Associated Press that the district "completely and steadfastly denies" the accusations.
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