The city of Springfield has filed a defamation suit
against a former employee, Sarah Gripper, in response to her lawsuit
against the city.
Gripper worked as a grants technician in the public
works department from 1995 until Sept. 30, 2003, when she was laid off
because the grant that funded her job had expired, according to the city.
Gripper, however, claimed that other grant-funded employees were given
positions elsewhere in the city or that new funding was found when their
grants expired.
She filed suit in federal court six months ago,
alleging racial discrimination and retaliation. According to her complaint,
a white male supervisor twice called her a “stupid black
bitch.” Gripper, who is African-American, reported this insult to
human-resources staff and other city officials, according to the complaint.
The city denied the allegations and filed a
counterclaim accusing Gripper of making false statements, knowingly and
with malice, causing the city of Springfield to suffer “damages to
its reputation.” The counterclaim does not specify what Gripper said,
when she said it, or to whom she made the allegedly malicious statements.
Corporation counsel Jenifer Johnson declined to
comment on the city’s counterclaim, saying only that such vague
pleadings are allowed in federal court.
On Feb. 8, Judge Richard Mills denied the
city’s motion to dismiss Gripper’s case. The case is expected
to go to trial in 2006.
This article appears in Mar 3-9, 2005.
