BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) \u2014 A Kern County judge overturned the verdict in a former Bakersfield fire captain\u2019s lawsuit, saying in a written ruling the jury concluded the city of Bakersfield was at fault without finding any acts of harassment or discrimination.<\/p>\n
In November of 2020<\/a>, Edgar Quincy Sloan \u2014 a former fire captain with the Bakersfield Fire Department \u2014 filed a complaint against the city of Bakersfield and the department alleging discrimination based on race and religion.<\/p>\n The complaint said Sloan is African American and a Jehovah\u2019s Witness. This was known to people at the fire department who weren\u2019t tolerant of his religion nor his racial background, according to the complaint.<\/p>\n Sloan was denied job opportunities and promotions, received \u201csham\u201d write-ups, called racial slurs and more, the complaint said.<\/p>\n Kern County Superior Court Judge Michael A. Caves overturned the verdict on Friday, granting the city\u2019s motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict.<\/p>\n The ruling said the jury found the city hadn\u2019t engaged in any acts of discrimination and Sloan wasn\u2019t harassed due to race. It also said the jury found race was not a \u201csubstantial motivating reason\u201d in the city\u2019s decision to not promote him to a battalion chief position.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom 31 special verdicts, the jury never found that (Sloan) suffered discrimination or harassment,\u201d the ruling read.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, even though the jury found no acts of harassment or discrimination, they went on to conclude that the City had failed to prevent harassment and discrimination within the workplace as to Plaintiff.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018I felt vindicated\u2019: Former Bakersfield fire captain breaks silence on lawsuit <\/a><\/p>\n Caves also granted the city\u2019s motion for a new trial, according to the ruling.<\/p>\n On Nov. 5, a local jury returned a verdict in favor of Sloan, finding the city guilty of race discrimination and retaliation. Sloan won $700,000 for this verdict.<\/p>\n