Federal jury: City of Hattiesburg didn’t discriminate against white employee

Published 10:45 am Friday, June 15, 2018

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — A federal jury has decided that the city of Hattiesburg did not discriminate against one of its employees.

The Hattiesburg American reports the jury Wednesday sided with the city in a complaint filed by Dana Coleman, who worked as a municipal court clerk in 2012.

Coleman contends she was the victim of racial discrimination and harassment by her African American co-workers and supervisors. She says she was excluded from employee events, including birthday parties and office lunches, because she is white. She also says she was wrongly fired in April 2016 because of false information provided by co-workers, who accused her of removing files from the court.

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The city’s attorney, Clark Hicks, says it’s pleased by the decision.

Coleman’s attorney, Daniel Waide, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.