The saga of former Greensboro Police Chief David Wray continues to wind its way through the court system, more than seven years after he resigned in the wake of allegations of racial discrimination against black police officers. Today the N&R reports a federal judge has dismissed part of Wray’s lawsuit claiming racial discrimination on the part of the city and former City Manager Mitchell Johnson:
“Viewing the facts in the light most favorable to Wray, the most nefarious scenario the court can discern is that the city and Johnson placed Wray on administrative leave and constructively discharged him because there was a public perception (whether justified or not) that Wray was targeting African-American members of the GPD for investigation. Wray has not produced any evidence from which it can reasonably be inferred that Johnson’s actions were based on the fact that he was a Caucasian.”
You have to wonder if any of this would have gone done if Wray were black. Bottom line is Jerry Bledsoe’s Rhino series Cops in Black and White certainly made the case that the public perception that “Wray was targeting African-American members of the GPD for investigation” was indeed unjustified. If it were justified, Mitchell Johnson would (more than likely) still be city manager.
Asked to comment on the latest ruling, City Council member and former Mayor Yvonne Johnson said she is “glad that chapter is closed…..Mitch Johnson did the right thing.”
