



A former Houma police officer is suing the Houma police, alleging violation of his civil rights in regard to alleged unlawful employment practices.

Joseph Thompson Jr. of Houma filed a lawsuit Aug. 21 against Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government, doing business as the a Houma Police Department, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, alleging noncompliance with civil rights law in his 2014 discharge.

According to the lawsuit, Thompson, who was employed by the defendant, was terminated along with eight other officers due to budgetary constraints on May 14, 2014. The suit says all the other officers were immediately rehired, but Thompson was denied re-employment in retaliation for having filed a previous unsuccessful complaint of racial discrimination against the defendant with the EEOC. The lawsuit states the defendant’s actions were racially motivated because Thompson is black.

The suit states that the police department's actions were intentional and the plaintiff is entitled to back and front pay. He alleges embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, pain, suffering and humiliation.

Thompson seeks compensation of more than $75,000, fees, expenses and court costs. The plaintiff is self-represented in the case.

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U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana case number 2:15-cv-03691-HGB-SS.