TV Shooter Sued Previous Station Alleging He’d Been Called A ‘Monkey’

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The man suspected of gunning down two Virginia journalists during a live newscast Wednesday morning previously sued a Florida broadcaster that employed him for racial discrimination.

Vester Lee Flanagan, who is black and who also went by the name Bryce Williams, filed a lawsuit in March 2000 in federal court alleging that Tallahassee, Florida’s WTWC terminated him after he complained about ongoing racism on the job. The suit sought damages in excess of $15,000.

The suit stated that Flanagan was hired by WTWC as a newscaster in March 1999. It detailed purported instances of racism that included a supervising producer allegedly calling Flanagan a “monkey” and another station official allegedly telling a black tape operator to “stop talking ebonics.”

“Shortly after [Flanagan] made managerial level employees of Defendant aware of ongoing racial practices within Defendant, he was notified that his contract was not to be renewed,” the suit stated, alleging retaliation.

WTWC denied that it discriminated against Flanagan on the basis of his race in a response to the civil lawsuit. The TV station asserted that Flanagan’s termination was a response to a combination of his poor performance and misbehavior with regard to coworkers and the station’s budgetary concerns.

WTWC further denied that the supervising producer called Flanagan a “monkey.” Regarding comments a station official allegedly made to a black tape operator, however, the TV station admitted that similar comments may have been made to one of its employees.

The two parties ultimately settled the case for an undisclosed amount, according to court documents.

Read Flanagan’s complaint and WTWC’s response below:

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