Response Filed in Deputy Discrimination Lawsuit

Response Filed in Deputy Discrimination Lawsuit

POMEROY, Ohio – In November, Curtis Jones (plantiff) filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Meigs County Board of Commissioners, Meigs County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Keith Wood, Major Scott Trussell and two John Does (defendants). On December 15, 2020 a response was filed on behalf of the defendants. Benjamin S. Albrecht and Stephanie L. Schoolcraft filed as counsel representing the defendants.

According to the response by defendants, they deny the allegations made in Jones suit. The response goes on to maintain the, “Plantiff’s complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.”

The Response Points

According to the court documentation filed on behalf of the defendants:

• “Plantiff’s claims have not been asserted in good faith, are unreasonable, and without support in fact or under established law.”
• “Plantiff’s conduct in whole or in part bars Plantiff’s claims for relief.”
• Also stated that Jones failed to, “Exhaust all statutory administrative remedies.”
• “Plaintiff’s alleged damages, which defendant denies, are due to Plantiff’s own actions or inactions.”
• “Defendants did not engage in any conduct that could support a claim of disability discrimination or intentional infliction of emotional distress.”
• Response also asked for claims to be dismissed in their entirety with prejudice.
• Defendants asked for a jury trial on all issues that were triable.

Plantiff’s Allegations

Jones with counsel, Joshua Price, filed the suit in the Meigs County Court of Common Pleas alleging discrimination. According to the plantiff’s filing, it states that Jones is a disabled veteran with a back injury which “limited his ability to function in the United States military qualifying him as disabled.” It goes on to state that Jones also “has a disabling impairment through a diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder.” According to Jones side of the law suit, he is “fully competent and qualified for the position of Deputy” through Meigs County generally and the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office. The suit maintains that Jones was discriminated against based on his disabilities. The case consists of two main counts, one of disability discrimination and the second of intentional infliction of emotional distress. Jones accuses Meigs County and employees including Sheriff Wood and Major Trussell of having engaged in an “ongoing pattern of disability discrimination” and that said defendants “initially thwarted, stalled, failed, and/or refused to properly investigate complaints lodged against Defendants Wood and Trussell based on complaints lodged by Jones.” The plantiff maintains the infliction of emotional distress to due to the alleged discrimination and that, “Defendants’ conduct was so extreme and outrageous as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency and was such that it can be considered completely intolerable in a civilized society.”

The civil suit now continues to move through the legal system with the filing of the response from defendants.

Retired Judge D. Dean Evans of Gallia County is presiding in the case.

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