Resource: Officer’s Claims Against State Attorney Who Read Letter Containing Racial Slurs Out Loud Barred by Prosecutorial Immunity

Addressing interlocutory appeals that were part of a broader litigation alleging pervasive race discrimination and unlawful retaliation against three African-American municipal police officers, the Fourth Circuit, affirming in part the decision of the court below, found that prosecutorial immunity barred one officer’s claims that a state attorney created a racially hostile work environment when he read aloud potential evidence containing numerous references to a racial epithet and then retaliated against him after he complained. The appeals court reversed the district court order denying the state’s motion to dismiss or for summary judgment on the officer’s claim that the state interfered with his employment relationship with his municipal employer when the state attorney retaliated against him.