CALHOUN CITY (AP) — A former Mississippi police officer is suing over the loss of his job, saying he faced retaliation after answering a domestic violence call at his boss’s house.
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports the former Calhoun City officer, Greg Sockwell, has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in federal court.
The lawsuit says Sockwell responded to the domestic violence call in May 2017 at the home of Tito Lopez, who was then the Calhoun City police chief. The lawsuit says Lopez’s girlfriend answered the door and appeared fearful. It says Lopez berated Sockwell and later asked other officers to file false claims against Sockwell that led to Sockwell’s firing.
The lawsuit represents one side of a legal argument. Lopez hasn’t publicly responded.
Lopez became chief in 2015 and resigned in 2018.