LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville Metro Police officer filed a lawsuit to get his job back after he was fired last year for multiple policy violations, including cursing at numerous citizens, endangering the safety of other officers and tasing a man who was not resisting because "you were excited."
Officer Nicholas Green was fired Sept. 11, 2023, by then-Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel for 10 violations of standard operating procedure during four incidents as well as a history of multiple suspensions, according to his termination letter.
Green, according to the letter, repeatedly violated the courtesy policy by cursing at citizens.
On Feb. 20, 2022, alone, Green cursed at citizens on two different police runs, prompting the primary officer at one of the scenes to ask Green to leave, which he refused to do, Gwinn-Villaroel wrote.
Green also told a man he was arresting at the courthouse on April 26, 2022, that he was going to "knock you the f*** out" and tased the man twice, once when he was no longer resisting "because you were just excited and hit him again," the former chief wrote.
In addition, on May 13, 2020, during a traffic stop while he was off duty, Green and his passenger both pointed handguns at the driver and made "inappropriate statements" when explaining why he had pointed his weapon at the man.
Green also failed to turn on his body camera and made a SnapChat video while driving his police cruiser, according to his termination letter.
"Your conduct has adversely affected the morale, operations and/or efficiency of the department as well as brought discredit upon the department," the chief wrote.
The Louisville Police Merit Board has been holding hearings this month on whether to uphold the chief’s findings. The next hearing date is scheduled for Nov. 22.
On Wednesday, a lawsuit filed in Jefferson Circuit Court on behalf of Green against the city and merit board claims former Chief Erika Shields initiated the investigation into Green in 2022 but is not going to appear before the merit board for questioning.
Shields was replaced by Gwin-Villaroel when Mayor Craig Greenberg took office in January 2023.
Gwinn-Villaroel resigned at the request of the mayor June 25.
The city has "refused" to produce Shields for the hearings, according to the suit, prompting an attorney for Green to request the case against him be dismissed, citing a violation of his due process rights.
In an email in the lawsuit, an attorney for the city said that since Shields no longer works for the department, officials cannot voluntarily make her appear and Green’s attorney would have to subpoena her.
The city also argued that Shields did not review the investigative findings against Green and her opinion would be irrelevant and inadmissible.
The lawsuit requests a judge to order the city to bring Shields before the merit board or exonerate Green.
The suit is also asking for an injunction to stop the merit board from continuing to hear the case against Green until the court has decided the issue regarding Shields’ appearance.
This story may be updated.
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