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Title: Officer ordered to pay racial-slur damages
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Published: Sep 29, 2007
Author: JOHN LYNCH ARKANSAS-DEMOCRAT
Post Date: 2007-09-29 18:46:37 by freepatriot32
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Keywords: arkansas, 1st amendment, judicial activism
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A Pulaski County Circuit judge on Friday ordered a North Little Rock police officer to pay a former tow-truck driver $ 7, 500 in civil damages for using a racial slur. Judge Willard Proctor Jr. ruled that Lt. Terry Wilkins had violated Selma Jermaine Robinson’s civil rights. “I do believe the statement was made,” the judge said. “I do believe if [Robinson ] had been white, [Wilkins ] would not have directed that comment to him.” In affidavits, Wilkins was accused of calling Robinson a “nigger” during a quarrel when Robinson was called by police to tow a vehicle. The judge said he would also award unspecified attorney fees to Robinson’s lawyers — Robert Pressman of Massachusetts and Shawn Childs of Little Rock. Proctor’s rulings, which also cleared the city and Police Chief Danny Bradley of any liability, apparently failed to please Robinson, 32, of North Little Rock or Wilkins, a 26-year police veteran. Attorneys for both sides said they were considering appeals. Wilkins, who is white, has always denied using a racial slur during a September 2003 encounter when Robinson, a driver for Phillips Towing Co., was called by police to tow a car after the driver’s arrest. An internal police investigation cleared Wilkins of using the slur, Bradley testified. The chief said he approved issuing a written reprimand to Wilkins for cursing loudly during the encounter. Robinson sued Wilkins, Bradley and the city a year after the lawsuit, claiming outrage and violations of the Arkansas Civil Rights Act, specifically Arkansas Code Annotated 16-123-105, civilrights violations and 16-123-106, which describes hate offenses. By the time the nonjury trial began Thursday afternoon, the civil-rights claims against the city and Bradley had been thrown out. Proctor dismissed the outrage claim Friday. 
Judge Proctor
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